Double Standards
by Rayearthann
Summary: Two identical girls with different personality switch places and fell for their ace rookies of their schools. Would they tell them their true identity? What would happened on the day they have to switch back? FujimaOC, Full Summary inside. [Complete]
1. Default Chapter

**Double Standards**  
  
**Summary:** There are two girls who looked like identical twins but they stay far from each other in Kanagawa. One of the girls who is rich, had many popular friends, work for a model agency and studying in Shoyo High. The second girl leave a normal average life, had only a few ordinary friends, work part time in her father's catering company and studying at Shohoku High. Bored with their lives, they collided with each other, one fated day and decided to switch places. What happened if they start to fall for the ace rookies in their school. Can the girls tell them their true identity? What would happened when they have to switch back.  
  
**Characters' information:**

**Girl number one: _Iris Kanzaki:_** Her hair is always beautifully styled and wears best of clothes and only child.  
  
**Girl number two: _Kotori Sumire:_** She wears a pair of sensible silver glasses, don't really care about fashion and always the top student in class. The oldest in the family and have a younger brother.  
  
**Iris Kanzaki- Rukawa Kaede**

**Kotori Sumire- Fujima Kenji**

****

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Slam Dunk, never did and never will. I hope I don't have to keep repeating this.**

**Chapter 1: Kotori and Iris**  
  
**Shohoku  
**  
"MOH!!!!" Kotori exclaimed hoping on one foot as she tried to pull her socks up on her other foot. "Haru, why didn't you wake me up?"  
  
"Nani yo neechan?" Haru, her younger brother poked his head into her room. "I did! You didn't wake up that's all."  
  
"Great! Just great!"  
  
"Haru! Kotori!" Their mother shouted downstairs. "If you don't hurry you will be late!"  
  
"I'm ready, it's neechan who's late!" Haru ran off ducking in a nick of time as a pillow came zooming over his head.  
  
"I hate Mondays!!!!" Kotori shouted running out her room buttoning up her blue blazer.  
  
"What's all this shouting about Kotori?" Mr. Kotori said sternly placing his papers down. "Its morning, can't you be more pleasant? First thing this morning I wake up and thought a hurricane hit your room."  
  
"I fell from the bed when the alarm rang!" She woke up in a shock when her stupid clock made that sickening rooster sound. "I threw it out the window after that."  
  
"Kotori, that is the fifth alarm clock we bought these two weeks!" Her mother said exasperatedly. "Can't you switch it off like any normal person does?"  
  
"Not only that, she then runs around her room like a hen without her head looking for her things." Haru chuckled and avoided a plate that went sailing passed his ear. Luckily their mother was standing behind Haru that moment and caught the plate before it smashed into the wall.  
  
"KOTORI!" Mr. and Mrs. Sumire shouted.  
  
"He started it!" Kotori retorted taking a can of soda out the fridge.  
  
"You should drink juice in the morning." Mrs. Sumire said. "It supposed to be good for your health than drinking a can of soda."  
  
"Mum safe the nutrition lectures I'm late for school!" Kotori said grabbing her briefcase and ran out the house with the can clutched in her other hand.  
  
"Hey don't forget to come home early from school today!" Mr. Sumire shouted after her. "You have to help out with the rest of the caterers today. We got a very big business with one of the most famous advertising firm!"  
  
"Hmm..." Kotori replied grouchily slamming the door shut behind her. What's new?  
  
"What are we to do with her?" Mrs. Sumire shook her head. "She is cranky practically every single morning as if she hated her life!"  
  
"Teenagers..." Mr. Sumire shook his head and went back reading his papers. "Changing of hormones."  
  
Kotori ran to school cursing and wondering what else would happen on Monday mornings. She soon found out when she reached the front gates of Shohoku High. As soon as she took a step inside the school grounds something crashed hard and painfully at her back. She fell, face first towards the cement floor excruciatingly, her glasses jabbed sharply into her nose bridge and her briefcase burst opened at the impact pouring all the contents out.  
  
Then the next thing she heard was screams of a group of atrocious girls. She noted them as H.A.G, 'Hell of Atrocious Girls'. Instantaneously, she knew who the hell hit her back, it was no other then the famous Kaede Rukawa.  
  
"Get out of the way Sumire!" The leader of their group, Chiro shouted. "Keep your filthy hands off him!"  
  
Hands? Kotori thought heatedly rubbing her nose, surprised that it wasn't bleeding though glad that it wasn't and turned around to look at Rukawa who was still on the ground asleep and drooling with half the population of the girls in school surrounding him trying to see if he was alright.  
  
What hands, I don't have any hands on that Salivate Face! What I like to do is jabbing my foot up his ass.  
  
On her hands and knees Kotori quickly gathered her belongings and rushed towards the building. As soon as she took a step up the steps, she stumbled forward on her face again. She heard snickering behind her back and realized those 'H.A.G' was laughing at her.  
  
"Elephant legs..." She heard one of them sneered at her.  
  
That is why I hate Mondays!!!! Kotori raged inwardly. And that baka Salivate Face and his 'H.A.G' had to make things worst! I HATE them!  
  
**Shoyo  
**  
The sun glared down through the huge glass window of Iris Kanzaki's room. Iris grimaced and opened her eyes slightly looking out the windows all around her room. Her king size canopy bed was in the middle of her huge room. Her room was already lit up by the bright morning sun and she groaned.  
  
"Go away, go back and sleep for another five minutes!" Iris croaked at the sun as she covered her face with a huge feather pillow.  
  
"Wake up sleepy head!" A sing song voice said walking into her room.  
  
"Go away, Remi!" Iris groaned when her maid who had been with her since she was a baby walked into her room. "Let me have another five minutes sleep."  
  
"Iris-chan," Remi smiled pulling the pillow away from her face. "You will be late for school. Mistress told me to make sure you go to school on time everyday. You don't want me to loose my job do you?"  
  
"Mum will never fire you..." Iris mumbled sitting up dumbly. Remi just smiled.  
  
"Here's your uniform dear, and breakfast is ready downstairs." Remi set out her uniform on the bed and walked over to the room but stopped by the door. "Oh yes, today is your opening day for the new magazine. Remember to be home early from school to be prepared. Your mother had already booked the most famous caterers in Kanagawa. Everything will be a blast!"  
  
"Hmm," Iris muttered unenthusiastically as Remi walked out. "Another boring, boring, boring day..."  
  
After Iris had breakfast in the quiet, huge and very sparkling clean dining room, she got into the limo and went to Shoyo High. Her mother always insisted that she goes to a good private school but she insisted on going to a normal school so that she could have a normal school life, but still not quite as she hoped for when she saw a group of paparazzi and reporters outside of the school front gate.  
  
"Tendo-san, would you mind dropping me at the back gates of the school?"  
  
"No problem, Iris-sama." The driver said calmly and made a turned before the paparazzi and the reporters see her car.  
  
Another idiotic Monday! Iris thought as she stepped out the limo at the back gates of the school thanking god that no paparazzi and reporters waited for her there. She walked inside the building and collided into something hard and fell back.  
  
"Itai yo!!!!" Iris cried.  
  
"Are you alright Kanzaki-san?" She heard a boy's voice said and looked up. Fujima Kenji was standing before her looking down at her.  
  
She frowned and stood up. "YOU!" She cried furiously. "Now I know why Mondays sucks!"  
  
"Look, it wasn't my fault that you got caught for ditching class alright!" Fujima said. "You still angry at me for that?"  
  
"So you happened to walk by when the teacher found me is it!" Iris said pointing her finger angrily at him. "You were the only one who saw me leave my class you sneak. I saw you down the corridor. If you didn't tell who else did? How come you got away for ditching class and I got caught in return?"  
  
"I had a corridor pass!" Fujima replied exasperatedly  
  
"Whatever," Iris rolled her eyes and walked off with her head held high.  
  
"So what if you are the model of the month?" Fujima muttered distastefully under his breath. "It makes you no better!"  
  
Fujima Kenji, Iris thought wrathfully. Just because you think you are the best player, the captain and the coach of the basketball team of Shoyo High it doesn't make you the best boy in school! Hate him, that incredible jerk.

* * *

**After School**

** Shohoku**  
  
"Kotori, aren't you going to help us with the bio project?" Yuriko who was one of her circles of friends asked. "Why are you in a hurry?"  
  
Kotori groaned, she had totally forgotten about helping Yuriko and Sasami with their work after school, but it just couldn't be help, she had to go home change and rush to Sumire Catering Co. as fast as she could or her father would skin her alive.  
  
"Yuriko, Sasami, gomen!" Kotori clasped her briefcase shut. "I can't today! I have to go back to help father with this huge catering thing this evening."  
  
"Ah, let me guess." Sasami grinned. "The best most famous advertising firm had actually booked your father for their buffet."  
  
"How did you know?" Kotori looked up at her amazed.  
  
"It's on the front page!" Sasami said slamming today's newspaper on the table. "Kanzaki Advertising Co. the most famous advertising firm in Kanagawa and Tokyo. I heard that their only child is their lead model of the firm. This evening was supposed to be some big opening for this new magazine their daughter is going to work for."  
  
"Oh?" Kotori said wide eye staring at the front page where a girl her age grinned sexily back at her. The model's long hair lay silkily behind her back unlike hers which she always tied up into a messy bun. Not only her hair, her clothes were clothes every girl dreamed of wearing.  
  
"Isn't she desirable?" Yuriko asked. "Look at those clothes, the hair!"  
  
"...." Kotori just stared at the picture.  
  
"Hey, I thought you need to go already?" Sasami suddenly said.  
  
"Oh SHIT!!!!" Kotori shouted and ran out the class. "See you tomorrow girls!"  
  
Unfortunately she ran straight into the person she dreaded to see most, Rukawa. She head butted him around the chest so hard she stumbled back, her butt almost kissing the floor. However she quickly got back her balance.  
  
"AH, SUMIRE!" A huge group of girls shouted not far off. "How many times have we got to say? Stay away from our Rukawa-sama!!!!"  
  
"Damn those H.A.G," Kotori muttered under her breath cursing. "Why are they always around. Oh yes, Salivate Face's here."  
  
Salivate face? Rukawa frowned down at the small tetchy girl before him who was still rubbing her forehead. What the hell?  
  
Before he could retort she ran off down the corridor before those girls, who she had called H.A.G could do anything to her.  
  
"Do'aho..." Rukawa muttered and turned away from her direction.  
  
Before he could take a step forward, he heard a loud crashed from that girl's direction and turned back again. She had toppled over the floor her books and stationeries strewn all over the place. He raised his eyebrows slightly and took no heed to it turning away but those girls that that girl had called 'Hag' ran up towards him and barraged him, swooning, looking starry eyed and screeching at him.  
  
'Hag'? Whatever it is, I really think it suits them. Rukawa thought irritated though his face didn't give away anything as he ignored the girls and walked on.  
  
**Shoyo**  
  
"So don't be late girls," Iris said to her little group of friends who were Miki, Satomi and Aiko. They also categories as the riches kid in Kanagawa. "I'm going home now. Have to prepare for the occasion."  
  
"Alright, meet you at the banquet!" Satomi said cheerfully waving at Iris who dashed to the back of the school where she had told Tendo to wait for her.  
  
As she stepped outside the building to her surprised, the reporters and paparazzi were waiting for her at the back gate this time. She froze at the entrance door of the building and retreated back inside like a turtle retreating into its shell and shutting the door with a loud bang.  
  
"Unable to go outside?" She heard a loathsome voice said. (From Iris point of view)  
  
"Go away Fujima!" Iris snapped glaring at him who was standing not far from her leaning on the wall lazily looking at her.  
  
"I heard about the banquet at your place." Fujima said softly.  
  
"So what?"  
  
"You do know that my family is coming too." Fujima replied.  
  
"How can I forget?" Iris rolled her eyes.  
  
The Fujima was one of the holdings of the most popular Magazine Company in Japan, Fujima Co. They had actually signed the contract with them for a year. She couldn't imagine why her mother had to do something like that to her.  
  
"I'll see you there then." Fujima turned his back on her and walked away. "I'm late for basketball practice. Have a nice evening!"  
  
"WHAT!!!!" Iris stared after his retreating back incredulously. "You are just going to leave me here?"  
  
Fujima stopped walking and turned his head slightly to look at her furious face.  
  
"You can always ask if you need help." He said mildly.  
  
Iris clutched both her hands at her sides seething at him. She would rather be buried six feet under to ask this incredible jerk to help her.  
  
"No," She replied curtly turning away from him.  
  
He shrugged and walked away slowly.  
  
"Don't get sandwiched alive!" His voice trailed back to her amusingly.  
  
"SHUT UP and GET LOST!" Iris shouted at him and looked down at her leather bag jamming her hand inside searching for something. "Where the hell is it?"  
  
After a minute standing by the back entrance she finally found her cell phone she kept at the bottom of her school bag for emergency used. She dialed for her two bodyguards who always followed her while she meets reporters, fans and other socializing events.  
  
"NED! GINTA!" Iris shouted into her cell phone when Ned picked up the phone. "GET YOUR BUTTS DOWN HERE IMMEDIATELY!!!!"

* * *

**Kanzaki's resident**  
  
**In the kitchen**

"Jura, you are supposed to hold the tray of wine like this!" Kotori said exasperatedly, posing an empty tray for her to see. "Besides I thought you practiced that yesterday!"  
  
"I did but with glasses on the tray is another thing!" Jura moaned. "Why don't we swap places?"  
  
"Jura, you know very well, I had to take care of the food section. My father doesn't really trust anyone else to do that unless the assistant cook is here and he had to call in sick today! Chief today is so full with his chores he need all the help he can get!"  
  
"It's better than me dropping all the wine glasses on the guest!!!!"  
  
Kotori felt like crying then, she had no idea why her father had made her be in charge of that evening's big banquet.  
  
I am only a teenage kid!!!! She moaned inwardly.  
  
"Oh alright!" She finally said with a sigh. "Let's go to the changing room and change quick!"  
  
Grinning happily Jura followed Kotori out of the kitchen.  
  
**Iris's room**

"Don't you think it's a little too much?" Iris asked looking at her hair the hair stylist had come that evening to help her get ready. "I mean, it's only a banquet you don't really need to make me look like I'm going to a ball or something!"  
  
"It's your opening day! You should look the best!" He stared in the mirror and Iris reflection.  
  
Iris raised an eyebrow looking at her extremely matured self in the mirror. Her hair was tied up into a sleek elegant knot on top of her head and some cascading curls down her back. The stylist had sprinkled some shimmering dust on her hair and the ornament pin he had used looked like there were many diamonds and pearl on it.  
  
"Well, loose the pin!" Iris demanded immediately.  
  
"But this make you look sophisticated, your mother..."  
  
"She had to tell me to wear this, wear that, eat this and that!" Iris snapped. "Take it off! I don't like it!"  
  
"Alright," The stylist sighed. "She will not be pleased when she hears this."  
  
"Whatever..." Iris rolled her eyes.

* * *

**The Banquet  
**  
"Drinks madam, Sir?" Kotori asked as she walked around the ball room with the tray carried gracefully on one hand.  
  
"Oh yes thank you."  
  
"Thank you dear."  
  
Kotori smiled and bowed slightly at them after they took their drink and went back to their conversation. It was nearly an hour walking around with the stupid tray of wine in her hands and she was very tired of smiling and looking cheerful as if she was enjoying every single moment. She moved over to a table in the middle of the room where there was an ice sculpture that looked like a swan on it. She leaned back on the table and took a deep breath thinking whether the smile would be frozen on her face at the end of the banquet.  
  
"This sucks!" Kotori mumbled under her breath.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" A voice came from the other side of the ice sculpture.  
  
"I mean, this swells! The banquet is such a blast" Kotori said in a very phony tone. Instantly, she straightened up and peered around the corner to see who spoke.  
  
A good looking boy maybe around her age or older by a year or two looked back at her. She plastered that smile on her face again and bowed before walking away. She didn't offer him wine because he wasn't of age.  
  
"Damn!" Kotori muttered heading away to the kitchens, her smile fading instantly as she walked away. "Jura is going to pay for this!"  
  
Fujima stared at the waitress his eyes slightly wide opened. He clearly heard her say that it sucks and she could swerve so quickly changing that word to swell. He smiled amusingly at her departing figure. She looked like she still a student though he had never seen her before. Thinking that she should be in another school, he made his way towards her to find out but got side tracked when Iris walked into the room dressed in a silver gown. Snorting he turned away from her direction and back to the waitress but she had already disappeared.  
  
"So mother really planed everything out nicely." Iris muttered looking around the crowded ball room. "Everything seemed so perfect!"  
  
"Iris dear!" A woman who was as old as Iris mother walked up to her smiling charmingly.  
  
"Aunt Emii." Iris greeted back enthusiastically with a phony smile. "I am so glad you can make it!"  
  
"So are you excited with this new contract?"  
  
"Tremendously!" And added silently; elimination!  
  
"Oh well, you are such a beauty in all cover magazine so far, you will be just fine in this one."  
  
No I won't, Iris thought silently and furiously.  
  
"Of course," She said instead.  
  
"Fujima. Co is one of the most prestigious magazines in whole of Japan." Aunt Emii chatted on as Iris pretended to be interested at it. "I'm sure you must be so lucky!"  
  
Oh yes very lucky in getting myself into hell hole. Iris sneered inwardly.  
  
"Yes, of course." Iris said with a spurious though charming smile. "Please excuse me!"  
  
Iris turned away from her aunt, rolling her eyes and her smile dropped from her face immediately. She soon grumbled inwardly when she saw Fujima standing not far from at the buffet table. Her stomach growl mercilessly for she was extremely hungry.  
  
Why must he be there?  
  
Without a choice she headed to the table slowly trying to ignore him, as she waited for the waiter behind the table to serve her. Fujima however saw her, smiled slightly and spoke.  
  
"Not enjoying yourself?"  
  
"Who said I'm not?" Iris said airily. "This is my Opening Banquet anyway. Of course I am enjoying myself."  
  
"Really..." Fujima replied softly and skeptically.  
  
Iris lost it then and turned to him irately.  
  
"What's your problem?"  
  
"Nothing..." Fujima shrugged. "It was supposed to be just a normal question but you have to take it the wrong way."  
  
"Oh really?" Iris sneered putting a hand on her waist. "There are not ones you could step off my back! Can't you leave me alone for once?"  
  
"It is you who couldn't stop, being angry at me!" Fujima said calmly and walked away to the other side of the room with his food.  
  
Iris greeted her teeth and stormed out of the ball room.  
  
Jerk!!!!  
  
"Jura, you owe me a great deal!" Kotori said when she was in the kitchens. Jura was however worked nearly half to death at the loads of food to be served out to the buffet table.  
  
"I never knew your job was so tough!" Jura answered breathlessly.  
  
Kotori raised an eyebrow at her. If it was her, she could handle all the kitchen work without problem. She found smiling and acting cheerful all the time was the problem.  
  
"Want to swap back?" Kotori asked slyly.  
  
"Nah," Jura shook her head and grinned. "I rather be in the kitchens than smiling like an idiot outside!"  
  
Kotori narrowed her eyes at her. "You knew about it didn't you!"  
  
"Of course, I hated to serve outside." Jura kept her cheeky grin on her face.  
  
Kotori frowned and stormed off!  
  
What a GREAT evening! She thought sarcastically.  
  
Thinking that she had enough of serving wines and pretending to be in the Brandy Bunch, she stepped outside the house into the gardens, hoping with her life that no one was outside and no one saw her. Seeing a big marble angel statue in the far end of the dark garden she headed towards it to hide for a moment before cracking her face again with the phony smile. She needed a break.  
  
Iris who was starving to death was bombarded by all her guests that came to talk to her one after another. She soon stepped out the house after talking to the final couple that she didn't even had a clue who they were and took a deep breath. She looked down at the plate of food she had which she had not even touched yet.  
  
The garden seemed to be a good place to eat in peace. She thought and walked into the huge and dark garden where the Marble Angel stood.  
  
Kotori leaned on the angel and looked up the sky sighing loudly. Not long later, she heard another sigh. She blinked her heart did a flip flop.  
  
Who the hell sigh? Are there ghost? No, no!!! There is no such thing as ghost. Ok maybe I should try again.  
  
Kotori sighed again, but softly this time. Then a second later, she heard another sigh and she stiffened. That sound seemed to be coming from the back of the statue. Holding her breath she peered over.  
  
Iris, sighed looking up the sky when she heard a sigh coming from the statue and her eyes widened.  
  
Is this statue alive? She wondered staring up at the white marble angel that looked glassily back down at her. She sighed again to make sure and then, there it is another sigh coming from... wait a minute.... It was coming from the back of this statue. Taking a deep breath she straightened up and peered over.  
  
When their two faces came to view with each other, they stared wide eyed for a few seconds, their heart beating so fast that they thought they were about to burst right out from their bodies. Then...  
  
"AUGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"  
  
They screamed at the same time and fell back landing horrendously on their butts.

* * *

I kind of out this story from 'Parent Trap' but, in mine these two girls are not related. The story just pop up in my head and I just want to get it out my system! So here it is. I know it seemed to be a ridiculously long chapter but I just want to explain more about the girls in the first chapter... so I hope I didn't over do it. Please review and tell me what you all think! 


	2. Switching Places

_**Cat-eye-red:** Thanks for reviewing and I will still update my other stories of course. I will try my best not to delay them. For now, my finals are coming so been busy studying most of the time..._

_**Yun Fei:** Glad to know that you like the ending. I am trying to make this a romantic comedy. Thanks for the review _

_**Kammy:** Sorry I had taken such a long time to update. I hope you are still reading this fic. Thanks for reviewing_

_**Kammylee:** Thanks for liking and reviewing_

_**Bluecherry:** Thanks for reviewing. This story looks like some other movie you seen in Disney Channel? Hmmm... well I don't think I had watched it because I don't watch Disney Channel Justin Timberlake in the movie? I thought he is a singer. He acts too? Well if you ever can remember the name of the movie let me know. I will be sure to go check it out Anyways, I watched Parent Trap many years ago and it was a hit movie back then. My sister had the DVD and I just took it out again to watched not long ago and this story came into my head. Talk about coincidence. Well, if you can remember the movie tell me!!!! Thankies!!!!_

* * *

**Chapter 2: Switching Places  
**  
They both stared wide mouth and eyed at each other unable to speak as if cat's caught their tongue. Iris then remembered that while falling backwards on her ass she threw her plate of food up into the air. She looked up to see what happened to it.  
  
Kotori had never been so frightened out of her life before stared at the girl she remembered she saw in the newspapers after school today. Suddenly that girl just looked up the sky as if expecting something to come down and all of a sudden she realized what the hell it was when she felt a glass plate hit her head so hard that she was surprised her skull didn't crack open and worst, was all sort of food splattered on top of her head. Too stunned to say anything, she sat there dumbly.  
  
Without meaning to, Iris broke out laughing looking at the waitress with her head decorated with some sushi, fresh salmon, salad and most dreadfully, some noodle was dangling at the side of her head making her look like she had a mop on her hair.  
  
"What is so funny?" Kotori yelled, finally getting over with her shock.  
  
"Oh, sorry, you should see yourself!" Iris said still laughing. She was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach. "You look like a walking buffet!"  
  
"If you don't want my fist crushed down your jaw, you better shut up!" Iris retorted.  
  
"Ok, ok!" Iris finally tried to stop her laughter to look at the waitress before her. "I'm Iris Kanzaki. You may call me Iris."  
  
"I know," Kotori mumbled. "Everyone knows you... anyways, I am Kotori Sumire. You can call me Kotori."  
  
"Sumire?" Iris eyes widened. "You own the best catering company in Kanagawa?"  
  
"Yeesh, you noticed." Kotori shrugged wiping some grease off her glasses and put it on again. "No big deal, my father owns it actually. I wouldn't be surprise if nobody knows who the hell I am. Not like you, your face shows up in practically all the magazines every month. Besides that you are in the front page of today's newspaper."  
  
"What's new...?" Iris rolled her eyes and inclined her head looking at Kotori intently. "Why don't you go clean up? You can use my bathroom."  
  
"What? You got to be kidding? I'm just a working girl here!"  
  
"What's wrong with it, no harm to it and I think you are around my age aren't you?"  
  
"Year 1..."  
  
"See, I'm in year 1 too, studying in Shoyo High."  
  
"I study in Shohoku..." Kotori mumbled.  
  
Iris pulled Kotori up to her feet and dragged her indoors avoiding the ball room to save Kotori the embarrassment to be seen by the guest with noodles, and other assorted food on her head.  
  
Soon clean and fresh Kotori stepped out from the adjoining bathroom in Iris's room. Iris was cleaning off the makeup on her face and letting her hair loose down her back.  
  
"Aren't you going back to the banquet?" Kotori asked.  
  
"Nah, told Remi that I'm too tired and I have school tomorrow. My mum would take care of the rest of the guest."  
  
Kotori nodded slightly taking off her glasses to wipe off some sprinkles of water lingering on the glass. That was when Iris stared at her oddly with her head inclined. Now that Kotori had no noodle dangling around her head or any other food, she looked somewhat familiar.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Come over to the mirror for a moment."  
  
"What's wrong?" Kotori asked putting on her glasses again. "Is something still on my face or head or something?"  
  
When Kotori stood before the full length mirror with Iris at her side, she looked at their refection blankly where else Iris's eyes widened with surprised. She reached over to Kotori and pulled her glasses off her face.  
  
"Hey! I need that to see!"  
  
"Look, Kotori..."  
  
"What?"  
  
Kotori squirted her eyes to look at their reflections and she gasped. She looked like Iris, now without her glasses and with her hair down and Iris looked like her without her makeup and all.  
  
"This is creepy..."  
  
"You can say that again!"  
  
Iris put on Kotori's glasses and tied up her hair she smiled and turned to face Kotori.  
  
"So, how do I look?"  
  
"Scary!!!!"  
  
"I mean, do I look like you?"  
  
"With a freaking yes!"  
  
Smiling cheerfully Iris took off her glasses and turned back to the mirror. She was tired of having a popular life. She was sick of doing whatever her mother asked her to do and worst of all she hate to see that Jerk not to say have to work for his father's company for the entire year. She had a plan!  
  
"Kotori, I want to ask you something!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"What do you think of your life? Aren't you tired of it? Bored of it? Sick of it?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Do you want to switch places?"  
  
"What? Are you crazy, we can never pull it off!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because we are totally different! You know the latest fashion. My clothes are like from the feudal era. I don't know how to makeup, I don't style my hair and most of all I don't know how to be a model! I am dead clumsy. I would trip on my own foot while I'm walking! The only thing I'm good in and will never trip over is when I have a tray in my hand!"  
  
"I can teach you!"  
  
"You would be a hundred years old before I would learn all that!"  
  
"Look here, it's not that difficult! All you have to do is try! Don't you want to know how I lead my life? The popularity, all my fans and being beautiful?"  
  
"Why are you giving all this up then? If you are saying it as if it is so great."  
  
"I'm not giving up my life. I just want to know how to lead a normal life! For once!"  
  
"It sounded kind of interesting the way you put it."  
  
"Would you trade places with me?" Iris gave Kotori her best puppy eyes she could muster. "Please... just for a month!"  
  
"Oh..." Kotori sighed. "All right, what is it I have to do..."  
  
"For starters, do you have contact lenses?"  
  
"I do, it's just that I hate wearing them." Kotori put back on her glasses after Iris handed it back. "To make me put them into my eyes, the thought of it just..." She shuddered at the thought.  
  
"Well, from now on, you will..." Iris smiled.

* * *

**The next day after school at Kanzaki's resident**.**Iris's room**

Dressed in Iris clothes, wearing contact lenses and had her hair styled. Kotori couldn't believe the change over. She looked exactly like Iris!  
  
Iris still holding the comb and scissors admiring her master piece, grin broadly.  
  
"See I told you it will work."  
  
"I don't know..." Kotori left very uncomfortable in her clothes, makeup and a beautiful styled hair. She never knew her hair could shine and be so soft like this. After cutting off all the split ends and had it shampooed and conditioned, it was really a miracle change over.  
  
"Don't worry you will be fine!" Iris smiled putting her hand around Kotori's shoulder. "Your modeling job is all scheduled! All you have to do is follow them. Mother will always come up with a prefect schedule and everything always goes smoothly! Once a week we have this meeting with reporters, always give them a big smile and you don't really have to answer their questions! Socializing with the board on Friday nights and reading fan mails on Sundays! See everything is very simple and planed out! You can go to the gym anytime you are free!"  
  
"Easy for you to say!"  
  
"Anyways, what am I to do in your part?"  
  
"Well, you don't need to care about your looks and your clothes for starters." Kotori answered. "I don't really care about it, so you will just have to pretend it is beneath you..."  
  
"Alright, I think I can do that!"  
  
"Oh yes, and there is a group of girls in school I would advice you to stay away from."  
  
"Why?" Iris looked at Kotori bewilderedly. "They will eat me alive?"  
  
"Worst..." Kotori smiled painfully. "Well, I call them 'H.A.G' for 'Hell of Atrocious Girls'. They always around this boy who is a basketball star in my school, 'Salivate Face'..."  
  
"You sure have a lot of nicknames for people..."  
  
"They deserve them! Anyways, my life is very simple..."  
  
They talked through the night to be prepared for their big performance that awaits them the next day in school.  
  
Well, I am not sure when I will put up the next chapter, but I will try to put it up soon.

* * *

_The next chapter will be Kotori and Iris having their first big performance in their so call new beginning in a new school. We will see how it goes okies. Can they pull it off, or not!_

_Please review!!!! Thank you mina. _


	3. First Day of School

_**Bluecherry:** Thanks for telling me about the show, will go check it out!!!  
  
**Cateyered:** Thank you for the review!!!! Hope you enjoy this chapter  
  
**Preaw:** So sorry I took so long to update this chapter, I was having my finals and I was pretty busy the pass few weeks. Anyways, exams over, so I have more time to update all my stories now.  
  
**Kammylee:** Thanks for liking my story so much. I'm so sorry I kept you waiting for so long. I promise I will update more frequently now.  
  
Well on with the story, hope mina enjoy this chapter...  
_  
**Chapter 3: First Day of School**  
  
Shohoku "Iris, we can't go near the school in the limo..." Kotori whispered when they neared her school. "I usually walk to school!"  
  
"Oh right, tell Tendo to stop here then." Iris whispered back quickly.  
  
"Right, er..." Kotori stammered slightly not used to giving orders. "Te...Tendo- san, you may stop my friend here..."  
  
"Yes, Kanzaki-san!"  
  
The limo came to a halt two blocks away from Shohoku High and Iris climbed out the car. She bent down again to whisper to Kotori.  
  
"OK, let's see how I can take a normal life! Thanks Kotori, I really owe you one. Or is it Iris right now." Iris added with a wink. "Good luck!"  
  
"Same to you too! You have the address to my house with you, right?"  
  
"Of course!" Iris held out a white piece of paper Kotori had written her house address on it. "I will find it! Don't worry."  
  
Iris slammed the door shut and waved when the limo start to pull off, then the glass window started to wind down and Kotori poked her head out the window.  
  
"I forgot to tell you!" Kotori shouted to her as the limo drive on. "BEWARE OF A PINK BICYCLE!!!!!"  
  
After the last statement she retreated back into the limo and the window wind up again leaving Iris bewildered and confused.  
  
"Pink bicycle?"  
  
She watched the limo turned around the corner and disappeared. Then she began walking to school when she heard a soft ringing sound of a bell. She blinked and turned around to see pink bicycle riding up towards her.  
  
"PINK..." Iris stared at the cyclist dodging away quickly. "...bicycle?"  
  
Drool... drool... drool.... Eyes closed, Rukawa cycled on unconsciously ringing his bicycle bell.  
  
Iris watched the boy in black hair cycled passed her after she made way for him and he headed straight for the lamp pose.  
  
"Ato... er..." Iris began and then shouted at him when she saw that he made no move to swerve away from the lamp pose. "Hey, PINK BICYCLE YOU ARE GOING..."  
  
CRASH!!!!  
  
Iris shut her eyes tight when the boy hit the lamp pose hard. Slowly opening her eyes she looked at the boy sprawl on the ground and was about to go over to see if he was alright, he got up subconsciously by himself and started cycling again on his dented bicycle. Iris gaped after him.  
  
"He is sleeping and drooling?" Iris made a face. "Yew... I think he must be that 'Salivate Face', Kotori speaks about."  
  
Looking at her watch, she gasped.  
  
"Oh no, I'm going to be late!" Iris cried and began running towards where Rukawa had gone. "Kotori told me she is never late for school!!!!"

* * *

**Shoyo**  
  
Kotori's heart hammered painfully against her chest when Shoyo High drew closer. She blinked when she saw a huge group of people with camera, video camera and note pads waiting at the front entrance of the school. Her eyes bulged.  
  
"Tendo-san! Those..." Kotori stammered leaning over to the front seat.  
  
"I will drop you at the back." Tendo answered with a dutiful voice.  
  
"Thank you..." Kotori breathed out heavily.  
  
Very glad that the back gate was empty Kotori got down the limo as gracefully as she can and walked into the building without tripping over.  
  
"OK, so far so good..." Kotori whispered.  
  
Suddenly out of no where someone spoke.  
  
"Talking to yourself now are you?"  
  
That voice made her jump out of her skin, tripped on her own foot and fell forward on her face. Then the usual thing happen her things scattered all around the floor. She moaned inwardly.  
  
_Why have this got to happen every single day?_ She thought silently.  
  
Fujima raised his eyebrows when he saw 'Iris' fell flat on her face clumsily. That was something really new. He didn't know whether to laugh or to help her up but he could see embarrassment stained her face when she sat up.  
  
"Daijebu?" He asked instead.  
  
"I... ato... got..." Kotori stammered gathering her things without looking up to see who the boy was. She was far to embarrass to face anyone now. She was supposed to be Iris Kanzaki and she wasn't supposed to walk around falling on her face. Iris would never do that!  
  
_So much of wanting to be elegant._  
  
Fujima stared down at her wonderingly; she is sure acting weird today.  
  
Finally he decided to help her with her things, and knelt down next to her picking up her books and hand it over to her.  
  
"Arigatou..." Kotori mumbled not daring to look at his eyes.  
  
Fujima quirked his eyebrows staring at her, wondering if she had a fever or something. Did he hear her right? Arigatou?  
  
Kotori stood up and dashed off quickly and didn't turn back again.  
  
The faster out of there, less complications! She thought. Now where is my class?  
  
_Am I still in dream land or something?_ Fujima stared at the way Iris ran away awkwardly. _I mean nightmare? Kanzaki just thank me...? _

* * *

**In Class Shohoku  
**  
_So far so good,_ Iris smiled inwardly at her progress after taking her seat in her class. Kotori did an excellent job explaining the directions around the school to her. Hopefully her directions she had given her were good enough.  
  
"Hey, Kotori can you let me have a look at your bio homework?" Yuriko asked. "I want to check I had done the essay correctly, the one on the Respiratory System."  
  
"Res... what?"  
  
Iris turned around to face a girl with all her hair pulled tightly back from her face into a high ponytail. She reminded her of the nerds in her school. She blinked trying to remember which one of Kotori's friend was it.  
  
"Respiratory System Kotori..." Yuriko repeated again. "Are you alright? Why are you looking at me as if it was the first time you are seeing me."  
  
"Oh...er... ato... er..." Iris laughed uneasily, finally remembering the girl. "Yuriko... right... hahaha..."  
  
Yuriko raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Yes, Yuriko here, are you still in dream land or something?"  
  
"Of course not, I was just still a little tired that's all..." Iris quickly replied checking inside her briefcase for the homework Kotori had done.  
  
_**Last night as Iris recalled...**_

_"These are the homework that due tomorrow!" Kotori said. "Respiratory System for bio class, Algebra in math class, Changes of Gases in Chemistry and an English essay!"  
  
"You have done all that for me?"  
  
"Well, for me actually!" Kotori slapped the books on Iris's out stretch hand. "So, what about you?"  
  
"Ere? I... well..." Iris stammered. "Oh well, don't worry, there isn't any homework."  
  
"Really..." Kotori raised her eyebrows. "That is strange, my teachers always give us lots of reading up to do and they will ask questions the next day. Besides that, they bombard us with so much work, it seemed like it would take us years to finish!  
  
"Wow! I never knew that!"  
  
"Anyways, you will be doing my homework when you are at my place. You can do that, right?"  
  
"I will try..." Iris mumbled. _

_**End of Iris's thoughts.**  
_  
Finally Iris found the book with the Respiratory System essay in it and hand it over to Yuriko.  
  
"So will you be able to help us with the bio project after school today?" Yuriko asked taking the book from her. "You said you are free today."  
  
"I did?"  
  
"What's wrong Kotori? You seemed really strange today...." Yuriko narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Are you sure you are not ill?"  
  
"Oh no, I'm fine..." Iris mumbled. "I guess, I..."  
  
Before she could answer Yuriko the teacher entered the class and it was the end of their conversation. Thanking god for his good timing. But as soon as class began she was in more trouble.  
  
"All right class." The sensei said. "I like I had said yesterday to prepare your English reading yesterday at page hundred and five. I will assume that everyone had already read up that page! The first person I like to call out is Kotori Sumire to read the first paragraph out aloud and interpret it."  
  
Iris stared the teacher.  
  
"I don't think so can do that sensei," She answered looking incredulously at him.  
  
"And why may ask Sumire?" Sensei asked with surprised. "You didn't read up the chapter I asked everyone to yesterday?"  
  
"Nope," Iris just shrugged matter of factly.  
  
The sensei and the rest of the class stared at Iris dubiously, wondering whether they had heard Sumire Kotori correctly. Sumire had not done her reading?!!!!  
  
Iris looked around the thunderstruck class, and mentally slapped her forehead.  
  
_Damn that was the last thing I was suppose to say!!!!_

* * *

**Shoyo**

Kotori cursed slightly, when she finally found Iris class and settled in. The directions she had given, made her walk the entire school before reaching her class and all she had to do was go straight from the back door and the class was right at the other end of the corridor on the left.  
  
"Hey, what took you so long Iris?" Miki asked when she took a place right next to her.  
  
Kotori looked over at the girl with her shiny black hair lay lazily and beautifully behind her back reminding her very much of 'H.A.G'. She blinked recalling Iris told her that three of her friends were from the same class. Miki, Milan and Aiko.  
  
_Black hair, black hair... right Miki... erm... the other two... I think Milan has highlighted her hair gold and Aiko has curly hair or something... whatever...  
_  
"Oh, erm, I went to..." Kotori crack her brains to think what these girls would usually do before class. She remembered those 'H.A.G' love to hang around the toilet showering themselves with perfume and putting on makeup. "Right, I was freshening up in the toi..." she stopped in mid sentence remembering that those girls don't use the word toilet. "Er... rest room?"  
  
"Right," Miki smiled. "I was there too how come I didn't see you."  
  
"Uh..." Kotori mumbled. _Damn explanation backfired.  
_  
However she didn't have to answer that question anymore when the teacher walked in. She sighed inwardly with relieve but when the teacher started to call everyone to hand in their homework, she blenched.  
  
_HOMEWORK??????_ She mentally screamed.  
  
"I would guess, Iris Kanzaki, Miki Saraiko, Milan Koi and Aiko Ureni had forgotten about your homework again or your dogs had eaten them?" The sensei said sarcastically when the four girls didn't make a move to hand in their homework. "Well, I have news for you girls. Your last tests were so bad, I am putting the four of you in remedial class."  
  
"REMEDIAL CLASS!!!!!" Kotori shouted.  
  
Miki turned to look at her as if she had gone mad, why did she take it so badly. It was already expected.  
  
"Yes, Kanzaki, remedial class." The teacher repeated calmly. "Don't look so surprised, I had heard from various teachers saying that, you had already landed yourself in remedial classes for other subjects too."  
  
Kotori's jaw dropped opened.

* * *

_Looks like things aren't going on very well for the both of them. Let's see what will happened next.... Till the next chapter. I will try to put it up soon. Those that read Miss Match, new chapter is up.  
  
Please review, thank you. _


	4. Disagreements

**Sofia: **Bluecherry told me about it. I'm going to check the movie out. I don't really watch Disney channel, so I had never heard about the movie before. BTW thanks for you review. Glad to know you like this story!!!!:)

**Preaw:** Thank you, sorry for taking this long to update!!!! Hope u enjoy this chapter

**Kammylee:** Heeheee. Iris is of the playful type. Hope u like this chapter!!!!

****

**Chapter 4: Disagreements**  
  
**Shohoku (Iris)**  
  
"Sumire, I am surprised at you." The math teacher talked to her during break. "What happened? You usually would be able to do all the sums I put up on the board. Why can't you answer any of them today?"  
  
Iris remained silent. She never knew that Kotori was that smart in class and had no idea the teachers love to ask her to demonstrate her work in front of the class too. The teacher stared at Iris intently and sighed.  
  
"Well, I will expect a better performance tomorrow Sumire, remember to revise when you get home."  
  
"Yes, sensei..."  
  
Iris walked out the teacher's room rolling her eyes. She would be caught dead studying for algebra. Damn Kotori, she should have warned her about her academy results in school. If she was expecting her to be a smart ass and a nerd there was no way she could do that.  
  
_Now where is the public phone?  
_  
She looked around the corridor and saw the boy with black messy hair she met this morning on the pink bicycle.  
  
"Salivate Face!" She called out and mentally kicked herself. It was certain that that wasn't his name and damn Kotori for not telling her his real name. She can't call someone by his nickname and ask for directions.  
  
Rukawa looked at that girl who usually falls flat on her face waving at him and called him 'Salivate Face'. He frowned slightly at her statement and walked on ignoring her.  
  
"Ato... hey... I didn't mean to call you that!" Iris ran after him. "I just need to know where the public phone is! Is there one in the school?"  
  
Rukawa stopped walking on the spot and turned to look at the girl as if she was mad. He knew that she wasn't a new student. Doesn't she know where the hell the school public phone is?  
  
"Damn Sumire, I told you many times not to go near our Rukawa-sama!!!!!"  
  
Iris heard a huge group of girls shouting at her. She blinked, turned to the direction and saw a group of girls, with their hair styled and had makeup on their faces shooting daggers at her. Instantly she figured they were 'H.A.G' that Kotori had told her to distance herself from them.  
  
"I was just asking for directions!" Iris replied pretty shocked that those girls were so protective over this boy, Rukawa? That is his name? Who cares!  
  
"Don't give us stupid excuses, you are here in the school long enough to know your way around!" A girl that looked like the leader of the girl spoke spitefully. "Just admit it that you are trying to speak to him and flirt with him!"  
  
"NANI!!!!" Iris flared glaring back at them.  
  
Rukawa quirked his eyebrows slightly, watching the girl in glasses. He had noticed her in the school corridor before and she usually never took any notice of him nor come to the basketball practice, not as if he cared anyway. He never bothered about anything but basketball. Basketball was his life, and nobody was going to get in the way between him and the world of basketball.  
  
He was quite skeptical at what Chiro the leader of the cheerleading squad had said but, it was true that she had been in Shohoku long enough to know her way about. Let's see how she was going to defend herself.  
  
"I Iri... I mean, I Kotori Sumire, need to flirt with boys!!!!" Iris shouted back at them. "Well, back up and smell the real world, H.A.G, I am sure when I dated the first best looking boy in the world, you girls don't even know how to put on lipstick!"  
  
With that she turned away with her head held high and walked off.  
  
"...." Rukawa stared at Iris's retreating back with surprised. A girl who runs away when 'Hag' teases her was sure really bold today. But what was with the lipstick?  
  
"How dare she embarrass us in front of Rukawa-sama?" Chiro cried heatedly staring at Iris retreating back. "She is going to pay!!!!"  
  
_That girl has the nerves._ Iris thought furiously.

* * *

**Shoyo (Kotori)**

Kotori stared down at her cheese burger miserably during break in the cafeteria, sitting alone at an empty table. She couldn't believe that Iris was this bad in her academy results. If only she had told her about it, she wouldn't even dream of trading places with her. She hated it when the teachers sneered at her and made her go for remedial classes when she very well know that she doesn't need all that.  
  
"I am Kotori Sumire, I don't need remedial classes..." Kotori mumbled under her breath.  
  
"Iris," Miki called and sat down opposite her. "What is with the face? And what the hell are you eating?"  
  
"Cheese burger..." Kotori answered tonelessly.  
  
"Yew!!!!" Milan joined the table then. "I can't believe you will eat those stuffs!!!!"  
  
"Are you alright Iris?" Aiko asked taking her seat next to her. "What about watching your weight?"  
  
"Why must I watch my weight?" Kotori looked up blankly. "It is not like I needed to go on a diet or something."  
  
Miki, Milan and Aiko looked at her as if she was an alien from out of space.  
  
Kotori looked at the girls and at the food they had on their tray, she blinked; _Salad? Those these girls even know what real foods are?  
_  
"Iris, are you sure you are feeling alright?" Miki asked putting her hand on her forehead.  
  
"I..." Kotori sighed inwardly and picked up her burger. "I'm alright, I'm just really hungry today. So might as well just eat what that can get you filled up."  
  
The three girls made a disgusted face when she bit into her burger though she ignored them and continued eating. The faster she finishes, the faster she can get out of there.  
  
Fujima who was sitting on the next table with his team turned to Kotori in surprised. She was sure acting weird today. First, she thanked him this morning without even giving it a second thought. Now, she said that she was really hungry and eating cheese burger? And what was with the gloomy face. She was usually the happiest during break, and couldn't stop talking about her modeling shots and catwalks with her friends.  
  
"So let's skip class after break," Milan suggested, with her eye twinkling mischievously. "Besides, we are never good in bio class anyway, asking us to diagnose a frog or some kind of unspeakable things. To think that we will do something like that."  
  
Kotori nearly choked on her food. _Skip class?  
_  
"Yeah, I was thinking of the same thing." Miki nodded.  
  
"So where shall we hang out this time?" Aiko asked.  
  
Kotori finished her food and stood up abruptly. The three girls turned to her in surprised.  
  
"I'm going to the library." She said sounding slightly annoyed.  
  
"The library?" Miki repeated astounded.  
  
"You never go to the library before!" Milan added in looking at her strangely.  
  
"And it's break time!" Aiko piped in.  
  
Kotori could mentally kick herself for blustering out loud she was going to the library.  
  
"Well, I ...uh..." Kotori tried to think of something to cover it up. "I mean, well the teacher wanted me to go the library during break..."  
  
"Since when do you start listening to a teacher?" Miki narrowed her eyes at her.  
  
"Never mind..." Kotori mumbled and walked off and stumbled slightly before she straightened up and quickly dashed out the cafeteria hoping nobody had seen her.  
  
Fujima frowned slightly watching her leave the cafeteria. He had heard the whole conversation and he was dumbfounded. The Iris Kanzaki was going to the library, eating cheese burger and stumbles when she walks?  
  
Kotori went back to class to get some of her books to revise when she heard a ringing sound coming from the bottom of Iris's bag. She blinked and searched through the things Iris had packed for her, compact powder, a few tube of lipsticks and a compact blusher. Some notebooks and stationary, in the mess she found a cell phone at the bottom of the bag ringing. She took it out with surprised.  
  
"Iris brings a cell phone to school?" Kotori muttered and answered. "Moshi moshi?"  
  
"Kotori, why never did you tell me that you are an ace student in your class!"  
  
She heard Iris voice yelling at the other side of the phone. She quickly placed the phone away from her ear, thinking that her eardrum had just exploded.  
  
"ARE YOU STILL THERE?!!!"  
  
"You don't need to shout!" Kotori answered after a short pause. "I can hear perfectly well!"  
  
"You really made a hell of a day for me!"  
  
"What do you mean?" Kotori retorted finally anger seeping in as she remembered how humiliated she was when the teachers accused her for not doing her homework. "You never did your homework, landed yourself in remedial classes!!!! How do you think I feel!!!!! I have a feeling you are really proud of yourself being a baka in school!!!!"  
  
"How dare you call me BAKA?!!! You NERD!!!!"  
  
"Yes I admit that I am a nerd!" Kotori shouted back. "So what? Is it against the law to be smart or something?!!!"  
  
"Don't ruin my reputation when you are at my place, Kotori!!!!"  
  
"Your reputation as a what? A baka?"  
  
"NANI!!!!"  
  
"You better don't mess up my academy results, Iris! I mean it... I worked hard for it!!! I am planning for a scholarship after high school to enter the University of Kanagawa, which is one of the top Universities!!!!"  
  
"Sheeeshh, like that is the biggest thing in the world!!!" Kotori could imagine Iris rolling her eyes. "You better don't mess up my potential of a super model!!!!"  
  
"Look we agreed on switching places! We have to try to fit in!!! It looks like it isn't working that well!!! I don't get along with your friends!!!! Why don't we switch back?"  
  
"Like I get along with yours!!!"  
  
"Iris I am serious let's switch back!"  
  
Iris panicked for a moment at the thought of switching back. She wanted her plan to work. She didn't want to switch back even she had to take a role as a nerd. She needed a break in her life.  
  
"We can't!!!! Look I will take back whatever I said about you earlier ok. I haven't even been home to your house yet!!! To see how you live!!!!"  
  
"Iris, it is a lot of responsibility in my place!!!!! I mean it, you can't handle it!!!!"  
  
"Look, we agreed on this for a month, so just get on with it alright!!!!"  
  
"Iris..." Kotori frowned when she was greeted with an engaged tone from the other side. Iris had already hung up on her. "Damn... Iris, you better take my role seriously."

* * *

_Next chapter Remedial Class. The whole chapter only on Kotori Sumire with Fujima Kenji. Let's see how it goes. I will update soon!_

_Pls review! Thank you._


	5. Remedial Class

_Before the chapter I wanna thank some readers who had reviewed, **Preaw, Animefreak1586, Gurlbynddmask, Jen, Sofia/3sh, Kammylee.** Those who are Fujima's fans!!!! I have good news for them. I will focus this story more on Fujima than Rukawa!!!! Hope everyone enjoy this chapter..._

**Chapter 5: Remedial Class  
**  
**Shoyo (Kotori)**

"But sensei I can't take the responsibility to teach the remedial class for the year one students." Fujima protested when his math teacher told him to look for him during break. "I am the couch and the captain of the school basketball team! My team needs me everyday during practice!"  
  
"It is only for an hour every alternate day in a week!" The math sensei begged. "It's only one person you had to tutor. Every year three students who have academically good results in their subjects will take this responsibility. It will help you gain a good remark in your school leaving cert too."  
  
Very reluctantly Fujima finally agreed with the sensei. So after school, he told Hanagata that he would be one hour late for practice to tutor a particular girl who will wait for him in Year 1 Group 8 class. He made his way down the year 1 corridor slowly catching attention of the year 1 girls as he walked by.  
  
When he reached the class and slide the door opened, he was greeted with four girls. He blinked staring at them. One of them was 'Iris', and the other three he recognized that to be her snobbish friends who hang around with her always. He frowned slightly, he thought the math sensei had told him that he was only supposed to tutor one girl. His worst suspicion was to tutor 'Iris'.  
  
"Iris, I told you to just ditch the class!" Miki whispered into her ear. "See looks like your dreaded enemy is here to teach you."  
  
"You never stay for your remedial class, we don't either!" Milan chipped in. "We always leave straight after the bell rings, why do you care today anyways!"  
  
"Soyo..." Aiko added.  
  
Kotori sighed inwardly turning to them.  
  
"You all can leave, you don't have to wait for me!" She said in an agitated voice. "Please!!!! I just want to put things right!"  
  
"You never cared..." Miki tried persuading again.  
  
"LEAVE!!!!!" Kotori cried.  
  
Miki, Milan and Aiko stared at Kotori's outburst and left the class in a hurry.  
  
Fujima watched those girls whispered to 'Iris' softly throwing him furious glares where else 'Iris' looked rather perturbed and agigated. He was very surprised when he heard her shouted for her friends to go away. He watched those three girls left though the back door of the class without turning back.  
  
His worst suspicion was confirmed, but when he saw her watching him with an innocent face, he inclined his head. The Iris Kanzaki he knew never look at him that way. He remained by the door, pondering on the thought.  
  
"You are here to tutor me?" Kotori said in low voice watching the year 3 boy standing by the door watching her with his head inclined making no move to come closer to her. She was told by her sensei to wait for a particular year 3 boy after class to attend her first remedial class. She was surprised that it was the boy she met at the banquet the night before.  
  
"I am pretty surprised that you actually stayed."  
  
"Why shouldn't I?"  
  
"Well, you never bothered to before, I heard from many of my classmates that you were never around when they came to tutor you for other remedial class."  
  
"Really..." Kotori said softly staring down the table. She couldn't understand why Iris didn't care about her academic results. Why doesn't she worry about her future?  
  
"Well, we better get started. I need to be at the basketball court in an hours time." Fujima said and took a seat in front of her. "So I will need to test you with some sums to see how much your knowledge in Algebra."  
  
"Go ahead." Kotori answered in a rather bored voice. "I can guarantee you that you can leave in fifteen minutes time."  
  
Fujima looked up at her with a frowned and took out a peace of paper writing down some year 1 Algebra sums for her and passed it to her.  
  
Kotori did the five sums he wrote for her in ten minutes and handed it back to him. She was trying to remember who this boy was. Even she had seen him before but she wasn't sure of his name. Miki had said that he was her enemy, so in another word Iris's enemy which means she should know him, by name at least. She remembered vaguely that Iris told her about a jerk in school though she couldn't remember his name. She moved her gaze down to his notebooks he had placed on the floor next to him with a sports bag. There was a name written on his book. She leaned over to read it.  
  
_Ken... Ken what? Er ...ji? ... anyways... his last name... Fu.... Fuji... Fuji er... is that ma? Fujima? Kenji Fujima?  
_  
Fujima stared at the sums she had done and blinked his eyes. Did his sensei tell him that she needed remedial classes? He even told him, she had no knowledge on doing the most basic sums but she seemed to have answered all the questions basic ones and also the advance ones correctly. He looked up at her and saw her looking at something on the floor intently. He followed her gaze and saw her staring at the cover of his basketball report book. He turned back to her with a slight smile.  
  
"I never knew you are interested in basketball..."  
  
"Ere?" Kotori quickly jerked her gaze away from his book. "Basketball? What basketball?"  
  
"You were looking at my basketball report book so enthusiastically."  
  
"Oh?" Kotori stared down at the book again and blushed. She was only trying to read his name.  
  
_She is blushing in front of me_? Fujima thought with surprised staring at her. _She actually looks Kawaii.  
_  
After the thought he quickly shook his head and focused his attention down the piece of paper and spoke.  
  
"You had done all the sums correctly. I'm pretty surprised, that the sensei had wanted you to take remedial classes. Anyways, is there anything you wish to ask me? Anything else you don't understand."  
  
Kotori looked at Fujima's beautiful blue eyes when he looked back up at her again. They seemed to be sparkling like a pool of clear water. She blinked, he seemed really sincere trying to help her. Why ever would Iris say that he was an incredible jerk?  
  
"No," Kotori replied trying to keep her voice from sounding nervous. This beautiful boy here was making her weak at her knees. "Well, I'm actually quite alright with algebra... I shouldn't be keeping you away from your basketball practice, any longer."  
  
"The remedial class is supposed to be an hour," Fujima smiled and Kotori nearly fell off her chair at his charming smile. "I think only fifteen minutes had passed. Why don't I give you some more sums to do?"  
  
"OK, sure" Kotori shrugged. "Go ahead."  
  
Fujima never knew that 'Iris' looked so innocent before. There was something different from her today. Her smile, her eyes and most of all the way she act! She was actually not snobbish. He watched her intently as she bent over the paper writing down the answers swiftly.  
  
He actually wanted to stay with her longer, and he never thought that he would actually feel like that for 'Iris'. He remembered whenever she was around, they would bicker with each other no matter how small the thing was. He hated the sight of her and he was sure she did too. But today, he just wanted to be around her, hoping that she felt the same way. The only way to find out he decided to ask her to come for practice.  
  
"Would you like to come watch us practice later?"  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Kotori looked up at him surprised.  
  
"Basketball, I know you play tennis, but would you like to come to watch us later?"  
  
"Sure," Kotori smiled with a shrugged. "Would love to."  
  
_Yes, she agreed;_ Fujima thought returning her smile and almost leaping for joy.  
  
Kotori's heart leapt, he had asked her to follow with to his basketball practice, which means that he wanted her to spend more time with him. But her delight didn't last for long when she realized, that he had actually asked Iris Kanzaki, not Kotori Sumire.  
  
_Would he still ask me if he knew that I am just the normal Kotori Sumire?_  
  
Fujima watched her delighted face changing miserable suddenly and wondered why. However, when he wanted to ask her if something was bothering her, she smiled at him again and went back to finish the rest of her sums in silent.  
  
_Strange,_ he thought.  
  
Kotori thought silently; _As long as I am still Iris Kanzaki, everything should be fine._

* * *

I_ know I took a long time to post this chapter up. Well at least I updated :P So sorry mina I hadn't really work on the next chapter... but anyways, the next chapter will still be on Fujima and Kotori... So hope everyone comes back for more chapters._

_Pls Review!!!! Thank you_


	6. Tennis and Baseball Practice

_Hello mina, I'm sorry I took such a long time to update this fic. I wanted to update it a few days ago but I have difficulty in uploading this chapter into the site. Anyways, everything seems ok now. _

_Firstly I wanna thank, **Emberlion, Anonymously cute Kaikawaii, Kammylee, Preaw, Lulu, Sofia 3sh, DigitalLavender** for leaving such wonderful reviews... hope everyone enjoys this chapter._

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**Chapter 6: Tennis and Baseball Practice**

**Shoyo (Kotori)**

On the way to the basketball court in the gym, Kotori was stopped by a bunch of girls. Slightly taken aback by the group of anxious girls, she took a step back.

"Iris!!!" one of them shouted. "Where are you going?"

"I..."

"You have tennis practice today!!!!"

"Te...te...tennis?" Kotori stared at them apprehensively.

"Yes," The girl grabbed her arm quickly in hers. "What are you doing with Fujima-san anyways?"

"He was teaching me remedial class..."

Fujima stared at the group of girls and then at Kotori. He couldn't believe that she actually forgot about her tennis practice and agreed to come to the basketball practice instead. He did hear that she was a school champion in tennis.

"Whatever!!!!" Another girl cried as she grabbed another free arm. "We are late for practice."

"But..." Kotori looked over to Fujima helplessly. She had never played tennis in her life before.

"I'll see you later Kanzaki," Fujima said with a slight smile.

"But..." Kotori started to say again but was dragged away by the girls.

"..." Fujima watched them pulled Kotori away until they were all out of sight before he turned and left the other direction to the gym.

Kotori couldn't believe want she got herself into as the girls pull her away to the changing room to get changed and dragged her outdoors to the tennis court. They handed her a racket and pushed her out to the court.

"You will be playing against Ruko sempai today. She wants to test your ability in the next coming match!!!!"

"Ruko sempai?" Kotori stammered slightly.

"Our Captain silly!!!!" One of them answered before running out of the court.

"But..." Kotori cried trying to stop those girls from leaving her. "Wait, I can't..."

"You don't seemed very confident today Iris." Ruko said at the other side of the net. "Not like the Iris Kanzaki I know..."

Kotori gulped.

"Ok, let's start..." Ruko said and tossed the ball into the air and smashed it across the net towards Kotori.

Kotori shrieked, closed her eyes, swung the racket awkwardly and missed the ball.

The group of girls who were standing next to the court watching stared at her with their mouth hanging wide opened. Even Ruko stared at Kotori slightly astounded.

"Opps?" Kotori said uneasily.

There was a moment paused and silent before Ruko spoke again.

"We will try again."

She tossed the ball into the air again and hit it across the net towards Kotori. This time the ball hit Kotori's head instead.

"Itaiiiii!!!!"

Ruko frowned slightly.

"What is wrong with you Iris?!!!! Pay more attention to the ball!!!!"

"I'm trying!!!!"

"Why are holding the racket that way? You are holding it like it is a baseball bat instead of a tennis racket!!!!"

"It is because I play baseball not tennis..." Kotori mumbled under her breath.

"What did you say?" Ruko yelled.

"Nothing!!!!!"

"Let's do it again!!!!"

Ruko smashed the ball over to her as Kotori ran for it clumsily and missed. Without mercy Ruko hit another ball over to Kotori and hit her on the stomach. Shaking her head slightly, Ruko served again and this time Kotori fell as she ran over to the ball.

"Alright, TIME OUT!!!!" Ruko shouted. "Take a break Iris..."

Kotori left the court with relieve, as she walked away she heard the girls whispering and felt really awful.

"What is wrong with her?"

"She played like she was having elephant legs."

"I never knew she is so clumsy."

"It looks like she never plays tennis before."

Kotori sighed inwardly. It is true that she never played tennis before. Supporting the racket on her right shoulder, she walked away from the tennis court towards the school field. She looked through the fences where the field was separated from where she was and watched some students, boys and girls playing baseball. She smiled softly and walked over to the opening gate into the field.

How she missed the game. Shohoku High had one of the best baseball team in Kanagawa and she was one of their main players.

"SHIT!!!!" Kotori cried remembering that she was one of the main players of Shohoku. "Iris, will kill me for not telling her that!!!! And what will happened, when the matches starts!!!! Hitomi will kill me!!!!"

Hitomi the baseball captain who were always very strict with them and her main aim was to be the number one baseball team in Kanagawa, they got second in the running last year and Ryonan had first. Then her hopes were very high when Kotori came into the team.

Kotori sighed out loud.

"I guess it wasn't a very good idea to switch places after all."

"HEADS UP!!!!!"

Kotori turned swiftly to see the baseball came flying towards her direction. She raised her hand and caught it without difficulty.

"Whao!!!" A boy came running over to her. "Cool catch."

"Thanks..." Kotori mumbled tossing the ball over to him. "Girls and boys practice together?"

"Yup, we had only one couch so we group into a team and practice together." The boy said with a smile. "Hey aren't you Iris Kanzaki?"

Kotori nodded.

"I'm Botan Hikari." He introduced himself extending his hand to her. Kotori shook it. "You got a swift move over there. You should try out for the team."

"You are still looking for players?"

"Well, unfortunately the girl's team is still missing by one player. So if you are interested you can always try. But seeing you are in the tennis club I think..."

"Can I try out now?" Kotori asked eagerly.

"Huh?" Botan looked at her slightly surprised but smiled anyways. "Sure. Come down to the field."

* * *

Fujima and the rest of the team came out of the gym after an hours practice for a break. They heard a loud uproar near the school field and curiously all of them went over to the fence to see what was going on.

"Isn't that Iris Kanzaki?" Hanagata asked.

"What?"

Fujima took a closer look into the field and sure enough he saw, Iris in her tennis outfit a white collared top and mini light green tennis skirt at the base. Her arm raised holding onto the baseball bat, with full concentration as she waited for the pitcher to toss the ball to her.

The ball went over to her fast and hard and without difficultly she swung her bat skillfully and the ball sailed high up and straight.

The basketball team watched with their mouth slightly ajar as their heads followed the ball as it flew high in the sky.

"HOME RUN!!!!!"

Fujima turned his attention back to Kotori astounded. He saw her punched the air and jumped up slightly.

"Yata!!!!" She cried happily.

"Way to go Iris!!!!" Botan cried running up to her. "You know you should join the team!!!!"

"I'm thinking I will."

Kotori grinned and looked towards the fences to see a group of very tall boys watching her. She spotted Fujima among them and she raised her hand up to wave at him.

Fujima was taken slightly aback at her gesture could only nod in returned as the rest of his teammates turned to stare at him incredulously.

"What?" Fujima asked.

"When did you and Iris Kanzaki are in such good terms?" Hanagata asked.

"None of your business." Fujima muttered turning away. "We have to continue practicing."

Fujima quickly entered the school gym feeling very confused with his feelings. While watching 'Iris playing in the field, he admired the way she hold herself and how she had managed to get such a swift strong hit at the ball. Earlier he had asked her to come to see him practice and now when he saw the way she had waved at him. He couldn't help but feel of wanting to be with her.

* * *

**Shohoku (Iris)**

_Ringgggg!!!!_

"Hey Kotori, you promised us that you will helped with our Bio project after school!!!" Yuriko called when Iris had already packed her bag and was rushing out the class.

"Are you in a hurry to go somewhere again?" Sasami asked watching the anxious looking Iris.

"Ermm, you see I... I..." Iris stammered slightly.

"Another catering service to do?" Yuriko asked sympathetically.

"Right," Iris agreed immediately. "And it's better that I am not late."

"Well, its ok then." Sasami said waving her off. "We will figure out something. Good luck!!!!"

"Thanks!!!!" Iris mumbled and ran out the class.

_Sorry girls.... I can't help in Bio... I suck in it!!!!_ She thought silently.

As she hurried down the corridor she saw again the same bunch of girls, H.A.G around the corner and this time they were around the 'Salivate Face' who looked extremely annoyed. She raised an eyebrow watching them slightly taken aback how this boy could attract them.

"Kotori!!!!!"

Iris nearly walked away even someone was calling her but stopped herself on time and turned to the person smacking her forehead inwardly. A very petite girl with her curly hair pin up with two pins at the side of her head was running up towards her. She blinked, wondering who the hell she was.

"Kotori, there you are!!!!" She shouted again and bent over her knees when she reached Iris taking deep breaths.

"Er...????"

"You promise to help me with my cooking classes!!!!"

The girl grabbed her hands in hers anxiously as she straightened up. She bent forward so close to Iris that she bent back slightly.

"Hah?!!!!!"

_Cooking???? How many people does Kotori have to help?!!!!!"_

"Kotori, you said you will!!!!" The girl was nearly in tears.

"Wha..." Iris blinked and asked softly and in defeat. "What did I say I will do?"

"A cooking competition is coming up and we need to think of some nice and unique food to serve the judges. You say you could help with the menu..."

Before Iris could answer she heard the most loathsome voice.

"Oh isn't that the nerd Kotori Sumire? And her squeaky friend Taika Risha"

She turned to the group of girls and saw Chiro the leader of the group talking to her. The curly haired girl, who Chiro had called Taika Risha quickly hid behind Iris when she saw Chiro.

_So this is the curly hair girl's name, for once Chiro safe me from thinking who the hell she is but that doesn't mean it changes my opinion about her._

"Oh isn't that the Biggest Voice-box in school, Chiro Juiko." Iris said. She found out her name from Yuriko and Sasami. "Leave me alone I don't have time for you now!!!!"

Rukawa watched the screaming girls agitated when they surrounded him after class. He will be late for basketball practice and that was the last thing he needed now. They were side tracked when they heard someone called a girl by the name of Kotori. He looked up and saw the girl with glasses he saw during break. He was really amazed how she stood up towards this girl who had been giving him love letters since... he couldn't remember since when.

"You...." Chiro stammered slightly boiling up. "Watch your mouth!!!!! Do you know who I am?"

"Don't know don't care," Iris rolled her eyes looking bored. "I have a lot of other things to do. Now go and do whatever you always do, shout, scream and screeched till you loose your voice. That would be a blessing to us all!!!"

With that Iris turned away and walked off with Taika who looked worriedly and slightly afraid at Chiro who stared disbelievingly at Iris retreating back.

Rukawa walked off at the same time too, glad that Chiro had totally forgotten about him as he made his way to the changing room. For the first time, he saw someone shut Chiro up.

* * *

_Well, I had neglected Iris for quite sometime, so I decided to write a slight scene on her. Though Like I had said in previous chapter, this is more of a Fujima story than Rukawa. For a change anyways. Cause if I start writing the sequel of Miss Match, I will seeing Rukawa's name too much and I'm afraid I may get confused myself. :P_


	7. Changes in Life

_Hello mina, it had been some time since I updated this. Gomen Gomen (bow bow) I had been busy lately and also I had other fics to update too.... so didn't had that much time. Anyways... I finally updated it and I hope everyone like this chapter._

_Before the chapter starts, wanna thank **Lulu, Sofia3sh, Kammylee and Plasmolysed Cell** **Membrane** for reviewing and encouraging me too..._

_BTW, if mina had read my previous a/n, they would have heard of this before. I was told that my story looks very much like a movie called 'Model Behaviour' in Disney Channel, Bluecherry told me since I posted up the first chapter. One thing was I had never watch 'Model Behaviour' before and the other is I hardly watch Disney Channel and infact I don't even have Disney Channel at home because its a paid channel and I didn't apply for it. So I had no idea that my story seemed very much like it. I have thought of this idea after watching a hit movie years ago 'Parent Trap' and decided to come up with this story. It is sort of like a mixture of the 'Prince and the Pauper'_

**Chapter 7: Changes in life**

**Shoyo (Kotori)**

"Way to go Kanzaki-san, I hope we will be seeing you for practice after school tomorrow." Botan said when their practice was over.

"Sure," Kotori replied happily.

"What about tennis practice?"

Kotori hesitated for a moment and turned towards the fence to see the group of tennis players standing by the field glaring at her their hands cross in front of them. Kotori gulped. Ruko stood in front of the whole group waiting for her. The look on her face told Kotori she was in big trouble.

"I think I have some things to settle with them." Kotori mumbled and ran towards the trouble which awaits her.

"What the hell do you think you are doing practicing baseball?" Ruko shouted when Kotori reached her. "You are a tennis player!!!! You are supposed to come to our practice."

"Ruko-sempai, you saw how I recently play tennis," Kotori moaned in despair at Ruko overly loud voice. Everyone in the field was staring at them. "I want to play baseball!!!"

"What did you say?" Ruko screamed.

"I say I want to play baseball!!!!" Kotori repeated more loudly this time.

Ruko was speechless as she stared at Kotori thinking that she had lost her mind. She burst out laughing and glared at Kotori.

"You got to be kidding me!!!"

"Iie, I am dead serious. You should have seen how I played baseball a minute ago. I was so much better in it than tennis!!!!"

"Iris, how can u do this to us?!!!!" One of the tennis players said desperately. "We need you!"

"There is no use if I can't play tennis!!!"

"Is that what you want?" Ruko asked seeing that Kotori had made up her mind.

"Yes," Kotori replied firmly.

"Alright, from now on, you are no longer in the tennis club!!!!" Ruko said and walked away.

"How can you throw such a golden opportunity away?!!!!" The tennis player said. "Ruko was planning to put you in the next match. No first years would be able to enter!!!"

Kotori just shrugged.

That player sighed and ran after Ruko and the other players who were all walking away from the field. Kotori watched them leave with a feeling of dread. She had a feeling that when Iris comes back, there will be some major problems.

With a sigh she walked away and headed back into the building to change and get ready to go home. When she was walking out the building too distraught in her thoughts she totally forgotten about being Iris Kanzaki and walked into a mob of reporters.

"Kanzaki-san, please I want to ask you, how do you feel to be the youngest model in Kanagawa?"

"Kanzaki-san, how is it working with Fujima co?"

"Kanzaki-san I heard that you are studying in the same school as Fujima's son!!!!"

"What do you think about that?"

"Kanzaki-san...."

Kotori stared at the reporters dumbstruck. She tried to push her way back into the school building but they had surrounded her and there was no way she could get away.

"Please, I..." Kotori stammered.

"Just give us a minute!!!"

"I need to breathe...." Kotori chocked, there were too many people around her and it was suffocating her. "Please..."

"Excuse me!!!!"

Kotori heard a familiar voice and turned towards it to see Fujima coming into the crowd. She never felt so relieve in her entire life but seeing Fujima pushing his way into the crowd of reporters coming towards her made her think that he was the prince in a shinning armor.

"Iris Kanzaki will answer your question in the press conference!!!!" Fujima said wrapping his arm around her shoulders pulling her close to him.

Kotori nearly melted in his arms as he tried to get her out of the mob of reporters. When they are finally out of the crowd, Kotori took a deep breath and looked up at Fujima who was studying her intently. She smiled slightly.

"Arigatou..."

_She is thanking me again. She is sure weird today._

"I thought I was never going to get out of there!"

"You should be more careful." Fujima finally spoke.

Kotori nodded still smiling, that was when she realized that Fujima still had his arm around her shoulders and she was still leaning on him, their faces only inches apart. Immediately she felt her face grew hot and she pulled away from him and turned away.

"I will be more careful next time..." Kotori said in a rush not daring to look at him. "I should be going home!!! See you..."

Before Fujima could answer, Kotori walked away hurriedly to look for Tendo and where he had parked the limo.

Fujima didn't know what to say when he saw Kotori smiling up at him. He knew that he should loosen his embrace around her shoulders but he didn't. To his surprise he actually liked her being close to him like that. He felt slightly disappointed when she moved away, though he didn't say anything. He wanted to ask her to stay when she said she wanted to leave but hesitated. Instead he watched her walked down the corridor and out of sight.

_What is wrong with me? Don't tell me I had fallen for Iris Kanzaki!!!! But that can't be..._

_

* * *

_

**Shohoku (Iris)**

"So you have any ideas?" Risha asked. "I mean, it is going to be a Cultural Food Competition. We can choose from any culture all around the world. It is just that I have no idea what I want to do?"

"Wouldn't it be easier if we just stick to our own culture?" Iris said softly not able to come up with any idea.

"No, that will be too common!!!! I mean we should think of a culture that would interest the judges!"

Iris remained silent as she looked around the cooking class that looked like a science lab except that there are stove on the white long tables instead of tubes and burners.

"I was thinking of some kind of strange cultural food so that the judges had never seen before but of course it has to taste good too..." Risha continued talking.

Iris sighed inwardly.

"Can you go back to ask your parents and see if she could come up with anything?"

"Huh?"

"Please, I am counting on you to win this competition."

"Uh... oh... well alright."

"Yata," Risha clapped her hands together. "Great, tell me about it as soon as possible. Why don't you check out the Thai food culture for me neh?!!!"

_This is not my day..._ Iris thought leaving the school building unenthusiastically. There was no way she could help in cooking because she doesn't cook. She can't help in Bio because she never liked science and was really bad at it. There was nothing she could do in Kotori's place!!!!

She stopped not far from the school gate when she heard some shouts somewhere near the other side of the school building. She blinked and walked over to the voices curiously. Wonderingly what had happened. Soon a tennis court came to her view. She blinked and watched the players inside and realized there was a slight competition going on inside the court. She stood outside the fence and watched the girls played and realized one of the players was Chiro.

Crossing her arms in front of her she stood outside the court and watched them. The other girl Chiro was challenging was already breaking down into tears even before the match had ended. Chiro smiled maliciously at the fallen girl and swung her racket over her shoulder.

"See if you dare to cross my path again, Ayo." She said spitefully.

Iris blinked pushing her glasses up her nose and smirked. She walked into the court slowly and stood next to the fallen girl who sobbed uncontrollably.

"You know Chiro, sometimes you should be a kinder to others." Iris said mockingly. "If not, there will not be any boys that will like you."

"NANI!!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!!" Chiro screamed.

Ayo stopped crying and looked up. Iris knelt down to Ayo and smiled holding out her hand. Ayo smiled slightly and placed her hand in Iris's. She pulled Ayo up onto her feet. When they are both on their feet Iris turned back to Chiro swiftly with full force.

"Let see how well you play tennis." Iris scorned.

"You challenge me?"

"Why can't I challenge you?" Iris smirked. "Are you afraid?"

"Over my dead body!!!! You are going down Kotori Sumire. It's pay back time for how you humiliate me in front of Rukawa-kun."

"Uh, I'm scared." Iris raised an eyebrow sarcastically taking the racket Ayo was holding. "I'll borrow this.

Chiro smirked. "You are going to regret this."

"We will see who will regret."

Ayo ran out the court and towards the basketball court to look for her cousin, Ayako. When she entered the courts, she saw her cousin looking at her stop watch as she watched the team doing some basic warm-ups. She ran inside and towards her.

"Ayako-chan!!!!"

"Ayo, what's up?" Ayako turned to her cousin with surprised. "Aren't you having tennis practice now? And what is with the bruises and scratches? Is Chiro bullying you again? Are you alright?"

"Hai, I am fine but Kotori..."

"What about Kotori?" Ayako asked bewilderedly.

"She is challenging Chiro in tennis."

Ayako nearly drop her stop watch. Even those in the basketball team who knows who Chiro is stopped their practicing and walked over to Ayako and Ayo.

Sakuragi who didn't who they were talking about stood at the spot with question marks all over his head. Rukawa who knew who Chiro was though didn't want to get involve began to shoot hoops.

"You mean the famous klutz in the school Kotori is challenging Chiro in tennis?" Miyagi said.

"Don't be rude Miyagi..." Ayako snapped.

"Hai, Aya-chan..." Miyagi blushed.

"I didn't even have the time to stop her!" Ayo cried in dismay. "She just took my racket and mocked Chiro!!!"

"Kotori mocked Chiro?" Mitsui said with amazement. "That is something I would like to see. You should have come get us sooner!!!!"

"By the way, where are Akagi and Kogure?" Ayo asked looking around the court to see both captain and co-captain not around.

"They had extra classes today." Ayako said. "They will join in later."

A loud up roar outside coming from the tennis court made everyone in the basketball hall turned towards the direction.

"Oh no!!!!" Ayo moaned. "I hope Kotori is alright!!!!"

With that she ran towards the exit door, the other curious at what was happening and why there was such a racket followed her. Sakuragi, who didn't understand what was going on, followed along. Rukawa frowned slightly when he was the only one left in the court.

"Kotori?" Rukawa whispered.

Where did he hear that name before? An image of a girl with glasses came into his head.

"_I Kotori Sumire, need to flirt with boys?"_ Her voice echoed in his head.

Rukawa turned towards the door where his teammates had disappeared through and gradually he walked towards the exit. He was curious at how that girl, Kotori was going to beat Chiro the girl he dreaded most.

* * *

_A slight cilffy there on the Iris part... the chapter seemed to be getting too long... so I stopped here... :p well I will try to update soon. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter._

_Please review!!! Thank you!!!_


	8. Getting used to Alterations

_Hello mina, I'm back! Sorry I took so long. It had been an eventful holidays for me especially with preparing for my sis wedding and stuff. I thought I would have time to update my stories for I took nearly two weeks leave from work but I was so wrong... the two weeks packed with things to do... So tired at the end of it. However, the wedding was great! _

_Rights like usual before I start on the story, there is a bunch of reviewers I wanna thank ;) **Kammylee, Plasmolysed Cell Membrane, Digital Lavender, Gurlhushere13, Grace, Sofia/3sh, Hermy, BitterSweetDestiny.** I know I took a long time to update this and I'm really really sorry!!!!! Gomenesai!_

_BTW, if anyone is wondering why I had some unlikely names used for a Japanese fic like example Miki and Milan... they are actually names from Japanese twin girls, exchange students that came to my place to stay. So if you all are wondering why there are such names in this fics... I didn't put in there on purpose to spoil the whole effect. I am just using these girls names after their permission of course that it is alright to use their names in my fics. Sort of like a dedication to them... ;)_

_Well hope you enjoy this chapter... I did it in the rush... so there may be mistakes here and there._

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**Chapter 8: Getting used to Alterations**

**Shohoku (Iris)**

Rukawa watched Iris hit the ball swiftly without difficulty back at Chiro as she ran for it clumsily. He raised his eyebrows watching Chiro tried her best to reach for the ball. Managed to get it at the edge of her racket and sent it back to Iris. It was the first time Rukawa saw Chiro being so awkward.

"I never knew Kotori could play tennis so well." Rukawa heard Ayako whispered next to him as she stared flabbergasted at the match between Iris and Chiro.

"Me neither…" Ayo said her eyes as round as saucers.

Iris heard Chiro cursed under her breath and she smiled to herself gleefully. She watched the Chiro had sent back to her ineptly and she smirked.

_Guess it's time to stop this game…_ she thought silently to herself. _I'm getting tired._

She raised her arm high, aimed for the ball and…. SMACK!!!!!!

The ball shot back at Chiro smoothly and speedily. It was too fast that Chiro couldn't catch it and fall to the ground when she ran for it. The ball hit the ground and the side lines audiences cheered, especially those who hated Chiro though her Fan group didn't as they watched helplessly at the side not knowing what to do.

"Smash hit!!!!" Iris cried and punched the racket into the air and jumped.

"Kotori!!!!"

Iris turned t the girl that Chiro had challenged earlier. She was running into the court towards her happily. That was when she realized that almost the whole school had come to watch. She blinked as she stared at the crowd cheering and clapping.

"You were great!!!!" Ayo cried grabbing her arm. "Did you ever think of joining the tennis club?"

"Well, er…." Iris stammered slightly. "I don't know…"

"Oh please say yes!" Ayo said giving her the puppy eyes. "We need a player like you."

_Gosh why does everyone like to look at me like that…?_ Iris thought in dismay as she looked at those begging eyes.

"Ok, whatever…" Iris shrugged and handed the racket back to her. "Thanks for the racket."

"I'll see you at practice tomorrow!" Aya shouted at Iris retreating back.

Iris raised her arm up in a gesture of acknowledging her but did not turn around. She bent over to grab her briefcase she had left at the corner of the court and walked out casually.

"There is something different about Kotori…" Ayako said wonderingly.

Rukawa turned his gaze away from Iris and walked back into the gym. He had wasted enough time watching and he needed to practice.

* * *

**Shoyo (Kotori)**

Kotori flopped down on the king size bed after an eventful school day. She could never imagine that, reporters and paparazzi followed Iris whenever she went. No wonder she needed a break from her life. Just imagine having that feeling that someone is still watching you when you go to the lavatory wasn't a very pleasant feeling at all.

"How can she take it for all these years?" Kotori mumbled into the pillow she hid her face in it.

"Iris, are you in there?"

Kotori heard a female voice called from outside the door. She sat up quickly, her brains thinking vigorously. Iris did tell her that, she had a personal maid. So... what was her name again? She recalled that Iris did tell her. Was it Rami? Rema? Remi? Damn!

"Should be Remi…" Kotori whispered to herself, then voice out louder so that Remi could hear her. "Yes, Remi what is it?"

"Why is the door lock?" Kotori heard her trying to open the door. "Let me in, I need to get you ready for your modeling show!"

"Modeling show?" Kotori frowned. Iris never told her about having to model on weekdays!

"Have you forgotten? Your first modeling show in Fujima Co?"

Kotori fell off the bed in a loud crash.

"Iris-chan! Are you alright? Something happened?" Remi's panicked voice was heard.

"Yes!" Kotori chocked out getting up on her feet again hurriedly. "I'm fine!"

"Now open this door!" Remi cried impatiently. "You never lock your room before!"

"Coming!" Kotori mumbled and walked to the door and opened it.

"About time…" Remi began when Kotori swung the door opened. "Iris-chan?"

"Yeah?" Kotori answered absent mindedly.

Remi narrowed her eyes slowly. Kotori raised an eyebrow at the maid wonderingly.

"You are not Iris!" Remi said in shock.

Kotori's mouth nearly fell opened at the state of shock! The maid could actually recognize her?

"Who are you?" Remi demanded angrily. "I'm calling security you imposter!"

"SHHHH!!!!!" Kotori cried pulling Remi into the room and shut the door. "Quiet!!!! Iris is fine!!!!"

Kotori locked the door behind her and whirled around to see a very distraught looking maid.

"Why are you impersonating Iris?" Remi asked anxiously. "What did you do to her?"

"I didn't do anything to her!" Kotori said nearly rolling her eyes like what Iris liked to do. "We switched places for a month."

"WHAT?" Remi shouted.

"SHHHH!!!!" Kotori said again urgently. "Keep your voice down! It was partly Iris idea! She wanted to know how it is to lead a normal life and that we look almost the same, so we switch places! How could your recognize that I am not Iris?"

"I took care of Iris since she was a baby because mistress is always really busy with her modeling job." Remi explained. "Of course I can recognize the child I had taken care of for her whole life."

"Damn!!!!" Kotori cried. "That would mean my parents would recognize Iris!!!! Phone!!!! I need a phone!!!!"

"Over there…" Remi said pointing to the phone next to the bed.

Kotori dove for it and quickly dialed the house number. After a few rings her younger brother Haru picked up the call. She could recognize his voice.

"Moshi moshi, Sumire resident here." Haru said on the other line.

"Haru!"

"Neechan?" Haru's voice was very uncertain when he heard the voice. "Didn't I see you going to your room just now?"

"Haru, I want to know whether Oto, Oka are back!"

"Oto? Oka?"

"Haru answer me!"

"They went on a business trip out of Kanagawa! They will be back next month!" Haru replied. "I thought you knew about that… by the way, if you are upstairs in your room… why are you calling the house unless…"

"Never mind that now!" Kotori sigh with relieve. "Take care of yourself ok Haru… neechan wouldn't be able to help much."

"Neechan aren't you upstairs in your room?"

Kotori sighed, her younger brother could be really dense sometimes.

"Just be good, ok Haru…"

"Huh?"

Kotori hung up before her brother could ask her more questions. She lay back on the bed and took a deep breath. Remi went up to her and sat down on the bed.

"So?"

"My parents are out of town. I totally forgot all about it." Kotori sighed with relieve.

"Then I will have to get you ready for the modeling show."

"What!!!!" Kotori sat back up again immediately.

"Now that you are playing Iris role..." Remi stood up. "You will have to act like her."

"I can't even wear high heeled shoes… what am I to do!!!! Iris never told me that I had to do modeling shows on weekdays! What about homework?"

Remi raised her eyebrows and shrugged. She was surprised that this girl who looked so much like Iris could be so different from her.

"I guess its practice time then…" Remi smiled holding up a pair of four inches high heeled shoes.

Kotori groaned and flopped down the bed again. She had no idea what she had gotten herself into.

**At Fujima Studio (Kotori)**

Kotori massaged the bottom of her foot when she was in the changing room. She wore a sleek black shimmering gown and a pair of three and half inches high shoes lay next to her feet untouched.

"Damn why must I wear that?" Kotori mumbled eyeing those shoes which lay next to her feet waiting for her to put it on.

Not far from the changing room, a very disgruntled looking Fujima entered the studio. His father had made him come to the studio to watch Iris's first modeling show. He was thinking of staying in school to continue his basketball practice but this contract was really important to his father so he couldn't refuse. He looked around the camera men, getting ready the lights and few more extra cameras though Iris was nowhere to be found.

Kotori put her shoes back on and stood up almost collapsing again back on her seat though she tried her best to stay rigid on place. Balancing slowly with both hands up and holding her breath she looked down at her feet to see whether they are still wobbly. When she found herself standing up right and firm she smiled.

"Ok here goes…" Kotori whispered and started walking.

As soon as the first foot step out Kotori fell on the ground again with a loud crash.

"SHIT!!!" Kotori cried.

"Is everything alright Kanzaki?" The door opened swiftly and Fujima stood at the door.

Kotori looked up with shock and embarrassment.

Fujima heard a loud crash in Kotori's changing room and decided to go in to see if she was all right. When he opened the door he was very surprised to see her on the ground, her face stained in embarrassment. He went up to her and knelt down.

"I trip…." Kotori mumbled silently.

"Here let me help you…" Fujima said smiling slightly. She looked really cute with her cheeks so red.

"Arigatou…" Kotori said as Fujima helped her up.

"You know you are really polite recently…" Fujima replied still holding onto her even though she was already on her feet.

"Huh?" Kotori stared at him blankly. "I don't understand."

"Never mind…" Fujima turned away from Kotori's eyes. They looked so different… though he can't apprehend what.

"Kanzaki-san, you will be on in another five!" A camera man shouted.

"I guess I should be going." Kotori said softly pulling away gently from Fujima's embrace. "I'll see you later…"

Crossing her fingers Kotori walked out the changing room as gracefully as she could. Fujima watched her go as she walked out stiffly. She seemed liked she was struggling in her shoes and the Iris he knew never shruggled in heels before.

"There is something different about her…" Fujima narrowed his eyes.

When the modeling started Fujima shrugged off his suspicious and left the changing room to see Kotori perform.

For the first time in Fujima's life, he found himself attracted to the girl he had thought he will hate for the rest of his life.

* * *

_I sort of lost inspiration to write for a while... maybe cuz I was so busy with other stuff ,but now that I am slightly free... I think I should be able to update my fics quite often now. Well... till next time. Remember to drop a review thanks!!!!_


	9. Days Goes By

**Disclaimer: **Don't own SlamDunk

Thanks to all who had reviewed and has been reading this fic. I am sorry I had taken such a long time to update. I had been thinking of ways to make the chapter easier to read, and it was not easy. Since I know it would be confusing to put both Iris and Kotori in the same chapter.I am going to only base on one person per chapter. This chapter is going to be only Kotori Sumire in Iris Kanzaki's place.

I hope this chapter will be much easier to read now and hope it's much better!

**Chapter 9: Days Goes By**

**Shoyo (Kotori Sumire in Iris Kanzaki place)**

"Itai, tai, tai!" Kotori winced after the model show, with slight tears in her eyes. "I can't believe I had agreed to such a nightmare!"

She plucked those high heals away from her feet to examine how much damage those horrendous shoes had done to her feet. There were a few blisters on her ankles and toes and she flinched when she poke those boils gently with her finger.

"I really hope this one month will pass as soon as possible…"

Kotori got up to her feet slowly and went around the changing room to look for the First Aid Box. She finally found it in one of the makeup cabinets. She took it in her hand when there was a knock on the door again.

"Yes, the door is not lock." Kotori answer half hopping and half walking back to the chair.

Fujima opened the door slowly when he heard Kotori answered. He poked his head in slightly to see Kotori limping over to the chair and he frowned slightly stepping into the room.

"Are you alright Kanzaki?"

"Fujima," Kotori smiled at the sight of him. She flopped down on the chair with relieve and opened the First Aid box to look for plasters. "Yeah, I am alright. The leather shoe was slightly painful to my leg so…."

Fujima looked down at her bare feet to catch sight of some really horrible blisters on both feet and his frown deepened. Why didn't she say something when they were shooting her? She should have asked to stop the photo shooting if her feet were hurt. The Kanzaki he knew would have made a fuss! Why didn't she then?

He suddenly felt really guilty to push her so much in the shooting. He had purposely schedule the time where there wasn't any break for her to rest because he was thinking of going back to school to catch up with the rest of the team practice. Now seeing both her legs that way he couldn't help but felt really bad at what he had done.

"How could people wear those types of shoes?" Kotori continued with her rant, totally forgetting that she wasn't supposed to complain about high heal shoes because Iris practically wears them everyday. "It is crazy! To think that it is actually a stupid fashion…."

Kotori stopped in her sentence suddenly and bleached when she finally remembered that she was actually talking to Fujima. She turned to him slowly with her eyes wide from mortification. Fujima was still standing by the door, watching her with an unreadable look on his face and she took a deep breath and forced a smile.

"Sorry, got carry away with my prattle." With that she turned away from him and avoided eye contact with again while she busied herself with the blisters on her legs.

There was a short silence between the both of them and finally Fujima walked over to her and knelt down in front of her.

"Let me help…" He said softly.

"It is alright, I can do this myself." Kotori replied rather softly and still not daring to look at him. "I am so sorry. I really didn't want to trouble anyone!"

"Here," Fujima pushed Kotori's hands away from her legs gently and took a plaster from the First Aid box. "I should have monitored the shooting better, so that you wouldn't have suffered from this. I wanted this to end quickly, that was why there wasn't any break time. I should be sorry about this not you…"

"It is not your fault…" Kotori sighed and sat back up slightly. "I want this to end quickly too…"

"You do?" Fujima asked skeptically and looked up at her slightly. "You Iris Kanzaki, doesn't like photo shooting? That's something really new to hear…"

"I didn't say that!" Kotori cried hurriedly, trying to cover up. "It must be the shoes that made me in such a mood."

Fujima smiled slightly. "Right…" He put the plaster on the last blister on her leg and stood up. "There, this should be much better now."

"Thank you." Kotori said absentmindedly. She was use to thanking people when they help her, not knowing that Iris wasn't. "You were a great help."

Fujima was starting to get use to her thanking him only smiled slightly at her graciousness.

She stood up on her feet and looked down to see if it still hurt and found it much better than before. She smiled and looked up at Fujima again who was studying her intently.

"You have healing hands." She grinned.

"What?" Fujima spluttered slightly.

"Healing hands…" Kotori replied without thinking and started packing her stuff into her bag. She was very eager to get back home to do homework or catch up with her reading. She hated it at the studio. "My legs don't hurt as much as they were before."

Fujima was speechless. Did Iris (Kotori) just say that he had healing hands? That thought had made Fujima flushed slightly on his cheeks. First she didn't blame him for not giving her any breaks and had caused her all this blisters on her feet. Now she was telling him that he had healing hands! He somehow felt like he was in a dream to see this Iris (Kotori) being so nice to him.

Finally getting everything packed into her bag she slung it over her shoulder and turned to Fujima with that smile still on her face. Fujima could only stare at her and hoping that his blush had subsided. However, even if it hadn't, he was glad she didn't say anything about it, while she headed towards the door.

"Well, I will see you in school tomorrow Fujima." Kotori called behind her shoulder. "Ja-ne!"

Fujima stood in the middle of the changing room stunned and enable to move for a couple of seconds after Kotori walked out the room. Finally reality came crashing back, Fujima ran out after her.

Kotori left the studio, sighing in relieve. She didn't even realize that Fujima came charging out after her soon. They collided into one another when Kotori stopped by the door to get something in the bag. Due a sudden crash Kotori felt herself falling and because Fujima had fast reflexes, he caught her in his arms to steady her.

"Fujima?" Kotori blinked seeing his face rather closed to hers.

Fujima had grabbed her by both her elbows and pulled her towards him. He was looking into her eyes that were wide with shock.

"Did I forget something in the studio?" Kotori asked rather softly unable to tear her eyes away from his beautiful blue ones.

"I was hoping that you would like to come to the basketball match next coming weekend…"

When Fujima was able to talk again, that was the first thing that came rushing out of his mouth and he nearly bit his tongue for it. He somehow figured that Iris (Kotori), he was holding in his arms was going to reject him and mock him speechless later; his troubled thoughts stall suddenly when she spoke with a really pleasant smile.

"I would love to."

That was something he had never ever expected. Very slowly, he let her arms go and stared at her speechless again. She was still smiling at him. When did he ever start smiling at him that way? Fujima didn't know, but he was glad to know that she could be able to be really nice and he was starting like this habit of hers.

"I will see you tomorrow Fujima?" Kotori said again, clearly wanting to leave the studio in a hurry.

Fujima nodded once and she left.

Fujima felt like floating in the air when he watched her walked into the limo, he could still feel her in his arms holding onto her protectively. A small smile appeared and never left his face…

* * *

Kotori watched the Shoyo High Basketball team walked away from the court looking forlorn that they had lost the match with Shohoku High. Her school won! But should she be happy about it? Putting her hand on her head, she frowned slightly at her mixed feelings. She wasn't really the type who would come and cheer for a game but Fujima had invited her to come and she did. 

"Tage, I shouldn't have come!" Kotori mumbled under her breath walking away from the stands and towards the exits.

She hated feeling confused and lost. There were times she nearly jumped up from the bench when Shohoku shot a goal, and not only any player but Rukawa Kaede earning points for the team. She stopped herself in time of course. The last thing she needed was to be caught happy that Rukawa got a clean shot. Besides that she was supposed to be cheering for Shoyo, even though Shohoku was her school but in Iris Kanzaki's place she didn't have a choice!

Anyhow, Kotori was more spellbound at the way Fujima played when he played the match for the last second round of the game. His coolness was gone and there was only aggressiveness at the way he tackle the ball. Her eyes never left him, until towards the end of the game when he walked off looking depressed.

Outside the stadium, Kotori took a deep breath and sighed looking up the bright blue sky. It is such a beautiful afternoon but somehow a figure walking slowly and forlornly in a distance, caught her attention.

"Fujima?" Kotori frowned slightly running up towards him.

Fujima had never thought of loosing to Shohoku felt his heart almost stopped when the buzzer blared in the court and they lost the game. He shifted his sports bag on his shoulder his head still looking down the ground when a pair of feet appeared before him. He looked up slowly and came face to face with Kotori.

"Kanzaki…?" Fujima's eyes widened slightly. "Why are you here?"

"You told me to come for the match." Kotori smiled slightly. "You played really well."

Fujima's surprised look somehow changed looking slightly disappointed and Kotori's smile vanished completed. She wondered if she had said something to annoy him. But she was telling the truth, he was did play really well.

"Ano, did I say something to oppose you?" Kotori asked carefully.

"No, it's just that, if I am that good, our team wouldn't have lost."

"But you played your best Fujima, you shouldn't feel depress about it."

"You don't understand that feeling!" Fujima suddenly yelled, surprising Kotori.

She stepped back slightly looking back at him wide eyed. The calm Fujima had suddenly burst out angrily for the first time.

"I… I am sorry, I said something uncalled for." Kotori said softly.

After the outburst the anger left Fujima and he was suddenly sorry for shouting at Kotori who was trying to cheer him up.

"Iie, I should be the one sorry."

Kotori stared at Fujima for a few seconds before she reached over and grasped his hand in hers. The gesture surprised Fujima but he didn't say anything or pull his hand away but stared at her with wide eyes.

"Come with me!" Kotori said joyfully with a cheerful grin.

"But where… ah…"

Fujima was dragged along behind Kotori rather rudely to the destination Kotori had in mind. After a pretty long bus ride, Kotori had brought Fujima to a video game centre.

"Why are we here?" Fujima asked looking rather startled that Kotori brought him to a place that he had never spend his time in before. He was even more surprised to think that Iris Kanzaki would spend her time here.

"Come, it's a lot of fun if you actually try them!" Kotori said pulling him inside.

Fujima had come from a distinguished and wealthy family. He had never ever thought of coming into places like this before. Everyone seemed to be normal carefree teenagers and so unlike him the heir of a rich cooperation that he had responsibility even in such a young age. He was even more surprised, the Iris Kanzaki he knew who was also brought up in such a family would spend time in such a place before.

"Fujima, this way!" Kotori cried pulling him to a shooting game. "It is great fun! Just shoot the bad guys down with all your might. It always helps whenever I am feeling down! Try it! I can play too! There are two guns!"

Fujima was pretty stunned and stiff when Kotori passed him the gun and she pick the other herself. She turned to him with a cheerful grinned before she pushed some coins inside and pressed the start button.

"Here goes!" Kotori said holding the gun, closing an eye and aim the gun at the screen.

Fujima followed suit and when the game begin, he finally understood what she meant by shooting the bad guys down would cheer him up. He felt so much relieve after putting all his frustration and anger into this shooting game and soon he was laughing along with Kotori.

One game after another game Kotori led Fujima through the game centre and finally after trying every game in the place. They were chuckling their way out of the centre. They walked side by side together and headed to an empty park still laughing. They sank down on a near by park bench, trying to calm their mirth.

"I never knew that game centre could be so much fun!" Fujima said after his laughter subsided.

"Well, it is because you are always so busy with basketball; you never try anything else besides that!" Kotori replied, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes. "You should go out more!"

"What about you Kanzaki, you are always so busy with modeling schedules; I am surprised that you actually come to places like this!"

Kotori's shoulders stiffen at his statement as she stared straight ahead. She had totally forgotten that she was supposed to the daughter of a rich model! At that moment she spotted a hotdog stand in the park and quickly stood up and changed the subject.

"Gosh, I am hungry!" She quickly said. "I am sure, you are too! I'll go get some hotdogs!"

Fujima raised his eyebrows. He noticed that Iris Kanzaki's diet had completely changed too! She always had salad and nothing else. To hear her eating hotdogs was like the sky had fallen down. He watched her walking over to the stall and he stood up and followed her.

"Let me get them." Fujima said after catching up with her. "It is not very nice to have the girl buying isn't it?"

Kotori blushed, she had never thought about it like that. When she was with her friends, they usually get everything for themselves. Even the guys will never offer to buy anything for her unless if they are out on dates. But this isn't a date, is it?"

Kotori watched Fujima and his gentleman ways, wondering. It was the very first time she had ever met with someone like him before. All the other guys in Shohoku High were so different. She had a few guy friends in school, from the baseball team. They treat her like one of them, the boys. It was not like she minded. It was always so much fun to be treated as equals than someone inferior. But now watching Fujima treating her like a lady, the feeling was somewhat different. She didn't know how to describe it, her heart was pounding and she felt like breaking into cold sweats!

She bit a lower lip and her confused heart.

As evening came close, Fujima walked her home. Outside the front gates of her mansion, Kotori turned to Fujima timidly, her head slightly down.

"Thank you for the hotdog…." She mumbled.

She wanted to pay for it after Fujima got it for her but he refused to accept her money.

"Is no big deal," Fujima smiled slightly. "I should thank you for showing me how to have fun."

Kotori looked up with surprised; he actually had fun with her? Before she could even register what he had said in her head. Fujima bent over and gave her a soft gentle kiss on her cheek. Without waiting for her to reply, he turned away and walked off.

Kotori's hand flew up to the cheek where he kissed, her eyes wide with surprised.

What just happened?

TBC

* * *

What do you think? Pls don't forget to drop a review! 


	10. Getting Used to Commoner's Life

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SlamDunk

Thanks for all the reviews previously, from **Viko-chan, Kasuri No Kami, Jen, animegal09, DigitalLavender** and**Amini**.

Since I am not sure, whether to write more on Kotori's life or Iris life..., but I realized that I had been neglecting a bit on Iris part in Shohoku... I am going to write about her in this few chapters... I had already done... Chapter 11 too, so I had put it up as well together with Chapter 10. Chapter 12 will be also on Iris... it is half done by now, so that will have to wait.

BTW, I know at first I wanted the Shohoku part to be Rukawa and OC... I am going to change that. In Shohoku part of the story... there will NOT be any more pairing, but Iris will get to know alot of people... and she will understand the meaning of friendship better than she used to. Sorry for the sudden change of story line in the Shohoku section. But if readers still want to give their opinions on what they think. I don't mind hearing them. If you all still want a pairing, just say so... I will keep it.

This chapter will be Iris in Shohoku.

**Chapter 10: Getting Used to Commoner's Life**

**Shohoku (Iris Kanzaki in Kotori Sumire's place)**

_Wake up sleepy head… wake up sleepy head… wake up sleepy head…_

"What the…" Iris voice croaked out. She was startled by the weird robotic voice, rudely ripping her out of her peaceful slumber.

She peered out from under her comforter towards the alarm, on the side table next to Kotori's single bed. She frowned at the weird clock that flashed red every time it rang that stupid phrase.

"Can't she have a normal alarm clock?" Iris mumbled, slamming her fist down on the stop button.

As she was about to sit up on the bed, the room door creaked opened. The first instinct Iris had was grabbing the comforter and pulled it up to her chin. Kotori's brother, Haru poked his head into the room and Iris relaxed slightly.

Right, she almost forgot that Kotori had a younger brother.

"Gosh, neechan, that is the first morning you didn't smash your clock." Haru said with a small smile. "Are you going to make breakfast?"

"What?" Iris squeaked. "Why must I make breakfast?"

"That is what you do when okasan is away!" Haru frowned at Iris outburst.

"Oh…" Iris replied dumbly.

She can't cook!

After a series of burns and screams, Haru finally took over the stove, looking rather agitated himself. Iris was still inspecting the burns she had on her hand, looking like she was about to cry. The frown on Haru's face deepened. His sister sure looked different today.

"What the hell happened to you?" Haru said rather heatedly. "Suddenly woke up in a different world?"

"You can say that again…" Iris mumbled under her breath.

Kotori never told her anything about cooking, but she shouldn't have known it either since, she never said her parents were away. Haru said that she only have to cook when their mother was away. She sighed softly. Of all times to be away.

"It seemed like I have to make you bento as well?" Haru asked furiously.

"I guess…" Iris replied defeated.

"You know neechan, it seemed like you had a heart or brain transplant in the night." Haru muttered under his breath. "Are you sure you are my sister?"

"Of course," Iris looked up at him with a small frowned. "That is rude!"

"Whatever," Haru rolled his eyes. "Here is your bento… we are going to be late for school if we don't hurry!"

"Right…." Iris mumbled and remembered that Kotori walks to school and groaned inwardly.

Haru gave her another weird suspicious look before leaving huffily.

For the first time in Iris life, she ran to school. Even it wasn't far but it took ages to reach Shohoku High compared to taking the car. When she reached the front gate of Kotori's High school, she almost had a heart attack. She gasped for breath, her body bent over slightly one hand gripping the gate tightly.

"That was refreshing…" Iris wheezed.

"What's so refreshing?" Someone asked behind her.

Very slowly, Iris straightened up and turned back slightly to see who spoke to her. He was pretty tall and good looking with short spiky hair. By that boy's looks, she knew he could be her senior. He was standing in a lazy manner, with both hands in his pants pockets and a sports bag slung on his right shoulder.

"Mitsui Hisashi… you must be that famous Sumire Kotori who beat Chiro in tennis." Mitsui smiled charmingly at her.

"Oh that…." Iris breathed in deeply one last time before she return that smile. "It was no big deal. Besides I hate that girl…."

She almost said, 'even though I only met her for a few days.' But she managed to stop in time.

Mitsui laughed. "Don't everyone…"

"Why do you guys put up with her then?" Iris asked adjusting her uniform properly. It was messed up during the sprint to school earlier. "I mean if you guys hate her so much, you all should put her in her place…."

"You did yesterday."

"Right…." Iris shrugged and was making her way into the building. Mitsui followed suit. "I was just pretty piss off that she could use tennis to intimate others that's all. Tennis is a wonderful game… not a game used for her disgusting antics."

"But you should be more careful of her," Mitsui replied rather thoughtfully. "Chiro is the type of girl who wouldn't give in after being humiliated in front of nearly the whole school and especially in front of Rukawa."

"Jeez, what is with Rukawa and girls?" Iris groaned going over to her shoe locker. "All I know is that guy who only…. AUGHHHH!"

Iris opened her locker, stepped back and screamed.

Mitsui peered over her shoulder with surprise to see her locker smeared with red ink that looked remarkably like blood. Her white indoor shoe was also smeared and tattered into pieces. A small note written in red stuck between her battered shoes.

_You won't get away for what happened at the tennis match._

"That is what I mean…." Mitsui said softly.

"This chicken girl…" Iris fumed after getting over her shock; Mitsui raised his eyebrows at her remarkable recovery. For a girl she was pretty spunky. "She is capable of such lowly tricks?"

"Well, all I can say is that she can sink even lower…" Mitsui shrugged. "You should get a pair of guest slippers for now. You can't possible wear those…"

"Right…" Iris said angrily, fishing her tattered shoes with her fingers. Then she turned to Mitsui's with a sickening sweet smile. "By any chance, Mitsui sempai, do you know where this chicken girl goes to class?"

"If I am not mistaken I think she is in the same class as Rukawa, year one group ten class." Mitsui said rather bewilderedly. "Why?"

Iris huffed and walked away towards the year one corridor, tattered shoes with red ink still in clasped tightly between her fingers. Very curious indeed, Mitsui followed her. He was pretty surprised when Iris walked straight to the class he mentioned. He stopped a foot away from her, his eyes wide when she walked in.

Not long later, he heard a blood curling scream from inside. Mitsui walked over to the open door and looked in. He nearly laughed at the sight. Iris had thrown her shoes at Chiro. That tattered shoe hung on one shoulder and the other on her head. Her face stained slightly with red paint.

"That is for, ruining my shoe and locker!" Iris flared pointing her finger close to her nose.

With her head held high she walked out the class and slammed the door shut. Mitsui was clapping slightly, leaning on the wall opposite the class. Iris took a deep breath and smile.

"Gosh that felt good!" Iris smiled.

"But you still have to be careful." Mitsui said.

"Right, I will." Iris winked at him. "But now I better get to class before I am late!"

Mitsui watched her run the rest of her way down the corridor to her class. That girl was sure full of surprises. He can't wait to tell the rest of the basketball team what happened later after school. Chuckling softly, he made his way to the year three corridor to his class.

* * *

Rukawa snapped out of his lethargic trance when he heard someone screamed like a serial killer was after her. His head snapped agitatedly to the source and saw that girl from the tennis court who had beaten Chiro flat in tennis… what was her name again? Right, Sumire… Sumire Kotori. 

She had thrown, what looked like some worn out red looking shoe or a shoe which had gone through serious cutting sections and also painting sections at Chiro's face. With a defensive stance she pointed her finger at Chiro nearly touching her nose and shouted.

"That is for ruining my shoe and locker!"

Then she stormed out the quiet classroom and slam the door shut so loudly, Rukawa had a feeling the hinges must have shook!

What was that all about?

Nevertheless, that was none of his business and soon his head was resting on his arms and he was fast asleep.

* * *

Chiro's face was beat red. She pushed those disgusting shoes away angrily and looked around the flabbergasted class who was rather quiet after the incident. Her attention quickly turned to Rukawa at the back of the class near the back door and saw his head on the desk buried in his arms and he sighed with relieve. He didn't see anything… or did he? 

She wouldn't let that low life, Sumire Kotori get away with this! And that is a promise!

* * *

A series of curses and rude comments continuously sprang from Iris mouth. It was her break time and she had to clean the locker! It was the first ever in Iris life, she was doing cleaning and she hated it. Both Kotori's friends were leaning on the lockers next to her, watching her with their arms crossed in front of them. 

"You always never cause any trouble with Chiro, Kotori." Yuriko said rather solemnly. "You always wanted to stay away from trouble."

"I heard from some girls in class saying you beat Chiro flat in tennis after school yesterday." Sasami asked curiously and in awe. "I never knew you play tennis. What about baseball practices?"

"Baseball?" Iris turned to her with surprised. Kotori never said anything about it.

"Hello, have you gone to la-la-land and never returned?" Yuriko asked waving a hand in front of Iris face. "You are one of the best players in the baseball girl's team of Shohoku High? Are you alright Kotori?"

"Yes, yes I am fine!" Iris mumbled, turning her attention back to her locker.

I am so fine…. She thought inwardly sarcastically.

This change over was worst idea she ever had. It was such an interesting plan in the beginning, but she overlooked a small in little matter. Kotori and herself were so different! There was no way they could pull it off. If they did, it would be a miracle. They share so different interests and have such different living environment. Iris sighed inwardly.

"You do know that Chiro will never let you get away with embarrassing her in front of her class and…"

"Yes, yes… and Rukawa." Iris finished her sentence with a huffed. "I don't get it. What is with this Rukawa figure anyways? I see him, and he always had this weird, fierce expression that says… stay away or I'll step on you."

Sasami and Yuriko laughed.

"Well, we are glad we are not those girls who will fall for him but he attracts quite a lot of girls in Shohoku." Sasami smiled. "Look…."

She nodded over to the inner corridor of the school to see a small group of twittering and giggling girls following Rukawa behind. Rukawa on the other hand, just walked on ignoring them. Iris could see the casual strides in Rukawa's slow walk. His hands shoved inside his pants pocket, his head held in a certain arrogant manner and never looking down to those who were shorter than him.

"That weird look…" Iris rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her locker again. "Damn…." Another string of curses burst out from her mouth again. "Can't this paint ever come out?"

"Here let me help too…." Sasami said and Yuriko joined in too.

"Thanks…" Iris mumbled.

Kotori's friends were really helpful and friendly. If it were her friends from Shoyo, they wouldn't give a damn and wouldn't help with such petty and dirty work. Iris thoughts started pondering again, whether her high and mighty life was worth it or not.

Somehow, it felt rather lonely…

A certain image flashed in Iris mind, a boy who hides behind that expressionless mask name Rukawa Kaede.

She was as lonely as he hides his loneliness behind that expressionless façade.

TBC

* * *

Thank you for reading! 


	11. Nightmare Never Ends

**Disclaimer: **Don't own SlamDunk

Still chapter still on Iris in Shohoku...

**Chapter 11: Nightmare Never Ends**

**Shohoku (Iris Kanzaki in Kotori Sumire's place)**

Iris schooling life was never easy ever since she started playing in Kotori's role. First of all, having to pretend to be a genius in school was appalling and adding to Chiro's endless and almost annoying harassment was getting on her nerves. Iris wasn't the time of girl let anyone pushes her around and Chiro was really getting her to loose her temper that she knew would be unleash very soon.

"Damn it, how many shoes have I got to replace!" Iris nearly screamed in the morning.

"That is for making Chiro mad, elephant legs!" Iris heard a voice said maliciously.

Iris fumed inwardly and looked around slightly to see one of Iris gang of girls. Actually five of them but the one in the middle was speaking.

"What did you call me?"

"Elephant legs," The girl in the middle repeated with a smirk.

Iris slammed her locker shut. That does it! But before she could do or say anything, Rukawa strutted in sleepily and all five of those girls, changed their malicious expression immediately. One moment they looked like monster and now they looked like angels, smiling and batting their eyes at Rukawa, who walked by them without even noticing they exists.

Iris snorted under her breath and walked off. Why waste her energy first thing in the morning.

Somehow, it wasn't only hell in the morning for Iris. The rest of the day went rather eventfully horrible for her. It was always the same, every single day ever since she swapped places with Kotori. Iris wondered vaguely whether Kotori suffered this much in her school before and didn't she even bother to put her feet down. Can't she fight back for once?

During break, Iris couldn't help but asked Kotori's friends who were always with her. They were sitting in a quiet corner of the cafeteria having their bento.

"Sasami?" Iris was looking over the group of girls Kotori always called H.A.G. They were glaring daggers at her. "Why do those girls hate Ko… I mean hate me?"

"Ignore them; they are just a pain in a butt." Sasami whispered. "They picked on girls who are different from them."

"Different?"

"Gosh, Kotori, I have a feeling that you may be kidnapped by aliens and had a brain transplant or something." Yuriko said agitated. "Chiro is the riches girl in school? She is always this snobbish and always makes those who were less fortunate than her look like scum!"

"It is not like I am real poor or anything." Iris snapped back, remembering Kotori's family owns their own catering services.

"Well, to them you are." Sasami whispered. "We are actually and half the school is too…."

"Look, there they go bullying Risha again." Yuriko said in distain.

Iris turned over to see Chiro picking on the small little girl who had asked her for help in some cooking competition or cooking festival… she couldn't really remember. Risha looked horrified, tried covering while Chiro kept threatening to pour the hot cup of tea on her.

"That does it!" Iris snapped standing up immediately.

"Kotori?" Sasami's eyes widened with surprised. "Don't interfere, you are already in a lot of trouble with Chiro… they are always picking on you."

"And let them see chicken girl, scald that poor girl with hot tea?" Iris shouted angrily. "I can't watch!"

Even when I was in Shoyo I don't pick on people like that, just because you are rich! Iris thought inwardly angrily and stalked over to Chiro and Risha before Sasami and Yuriko could stop her.

"Hey stop that!" Iris cried.

She reached out to Risha and pulled her behind her quickly. Risha cowered behind Iris clutching onto the back of her uniform whimpering.

"You think you can stop me?" Chiro spat back furiously. "You are already in a lot of trouble for embarrassing me continuously. You dare to come interfere in this now?"

"I don't care who the hell you are chicken girl…" Iris snapped in return.

There were murmurs and gasps around the cafeteria when they heard Iris called Chiro chicken girl. Chiro turned beet red at her new nick name from Iris.

"What did you call me?" Chiro spluttered furiously.

"I called you Chicken Girl!" Iris repeated it, loud and clear.

"You…" Chiro couldn't come out with anymore remarks when some students were snickering at that remark. "You won't get away with this Sumire!"

Iris watched Chiro and her gang walked out before turning to Risha who was still crying.

"Hey, you won't look pretty anymore if you cry that hard!"

"Thank you Kotori-chan but you will get into trouble for that."

Iris sighed inwardly but smiled nonetheless.

"I am already in trouble with that chicken girl, so it doesn't matter."

Risha finally smiled at Iris calling Chiro, chicken girl again.

"Come on, my friends are over at that table, let's eat together?" Iris said politely.

Risha nodded and both of them walked over to their little deserted table at the corner of the cafeteria unaware of the whole basketball team watching them in awe.

"I am wondering if Kotori had a heart transplant." Ayako said.

"She suddenly became really gutsy." Miyagi added in.

"Good to see that though." Mitsui said chuckling softly. "Chicken girl… that is a good nickname."

"Well, good for her, she can stand up for herself and friends." Kogure smiled slightly.

"But I have a feeling Chiro won't let her be just like this." Ayako said rather worriedly. "I hope Kotori is strong enough to withstand what Chiro can do."

* * *

After school…

"There she is!"

Iris heard someone shouted behind her and turned to see. As soon as she did, something hit her head rather painfully. She frowned when she felt sticky and gooey stuff oozed down her face. Her hand flew to her forehead where she got hit and felt the liquid in her hand. She pulled her hand down to look and found that someone had thrown egg at her.

She looked up at the culprit who turned out to be one of Chiro's gangs. She frowned.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" Iris shouted.

"Pay back time Sumire…" Another girl came up to her.

She was holding a bucket and she flung whatever there was inside at Iris.

Iris who wasn't prepared for this attacked got herself, soaked from head to foot at that cold bucket of water that girl had thrown at her. She choked slightly and stared at those girls in disbelieve. More girls came up and Iris knew she was out numbered. Quickly as possible, she turned and ran.

She didn't know how long she ran but she knew that those girls were running after her too. She still wasn't really used to the corridors in Shohoku yet but after a series of turns around the corners, she finally saw a rusted doorknob at a deserted corner. Without thinking much about it, she ran towards it and was glad it wasn't locked. Yanked the door opened and went inside.

After closing the door, Iris leaned back on the door and took a deep breath. In the dark entryway, Iris saw flight of steps before her. When she heard those girls outside the door shouting, Iris panicked and ran up the stairs quickly. She was greeted by another door and she burst through it without thinking. Looking like she was on the roof top, she ran towards the rail and leaned over the rail taking deep breaths.

Those girls are crazy! Iris thought to herself heatedly and also partly slightly frightened and the amount of girls that stand at Chiro's side.

Feeling the amount of anger building inside, Iris couldn't hold it that temper in any longer.

"YOU MONSTERS!" Iris shouted not caring that if the whole world heard her. "I HOPE YOU TRIP ON YOUR OWN LOUSY TRICKS AND DIE!"

Breathing heavily, Iris looked down the school ground to see several students who were on their way home were looking up at her with stun expressions on their faces.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT? SCRAM!" Iris screamed again.

Those students quickly look away and walked off.

"Jeez…." Iris was still breathing heavily.

She took off her glasses and stuffed it away. Those glasses were really annoying and besides she doesn't even need it. Turning away from the rail, she slid down to the ground only to be shocked to see that she was not alone.

Rukawa sat on the tiled ground not far from her, watching her rather intently his expression unreadable. Iris blinked, still not believing that the person before her was Rukawa and why was he watching her in that calculating look? Iris glared back at him.

As usual, Rukawa was taking a nap at the roof top. He was jerked out of his peaceful slumber, when he heard someone almost breaking the door down to come out to the roof top. He immediately recognized that girl, Sumire Kotori. Rukawa could see that she didn't notice him, while she ran to the rail and bent over slightly. For a moment Rukawa's heart nearly leapt, thinking that she be about to commit suicide. But instead, the next thing that happened really surprised Rukawa.

She shouted and screamed not caring that everyone heard her cursed her enemies.

Rukawa who was hardly surprised or taken off guard over anything was pretty surprised that this girl actually could make him scared one moment and the next, stunned. It was not that he cared about her, but to see someone commit suicide wasn't exactly a pleasant thing to watch but instead she did the next thing to surprise him. Shouting for the whole world to hear that whoever those monsters were, will die. Rukawa could guess who she was referring to.

When she finally saw him, it was her turned to be stunned. Sitting on the ground face to face, only did Rukawa realize that her face was stain with what looked like egg and her uniform and hair were drenched with filthy soiled water because her face and clothes were stain slightly with mud.

"It rain?" Rukawa spoke.

Iris raised her eyebrow. This boy actually speaks!

Rukawa was also partly surprised that he actually talked to that girl but still remained in his cool collected self.

"None of you damn bloody business!" Iris snapped. She wasn't in a mood for friendly conversation. At that moment, everything would be nice to drop down and die!

Iris could see that Rukawa didn't look perturbed or upset that she spoke to him that way. He just merely looked at her in that same cold and expressionless face, like nothing in the world would bother him. Even if she had upset him, she wouldn't care. She wasn't in the mood to care about anything for now.

Both of them sat in silence again. None of them bother to speak.

"Achoo…." Iris suddenly sneezed breaking the quiet and silent atmosphere.

Iris knew that she shouldn't be sitting in the cold out here in such a condition. She will be sick in no time but she wondered if those girls were gone yet. She sighed inwardly and leaned back on the rail looking up the sky.

This is going to be a long evening. Iris thought.

Suddenly her vision of the blue sky turned black instantly. She blinked and realized that something had landed on her head. Pulling it away, she looked down to see the black outer boy's uniform in her hands.

She looked up to see Rukawa; wearing only a white t-shirt was already opening the door and disappeared through it. Iris blinked but nevertheless, she put Rukawa's warm uniform around her. If she was planning to sit here until she thinks it was safe to go. It's best not to get sick.

That boy Rukawa, is strange somehow…. Iris thought silently, wrapped warmly in Rukawa's overly large uniform over her small petite figure. Salivate Face… as Kotori calls him…

She welcomed the warmth the uniform gave her. Iris would have to remember to thank Rukawa tomorrow and for the first time that day, Iris smiled slightly.

TBC

* * *

Thank you for reading! I am still wondering who everyone likes to read more, Iris or Kotori... 


	12. To Strike Back

**Disclaimer: **I don't SlamDunk

Thanks to **Digital Lavender, Moodygal** and **Jai** for their reviews, ideas and encourangement.

This chapter will still be on Iris being in Shohoku...

**Chapter 12: To Strike Back**

**Shohoku (Kanzaki Iris in Sumire Kotori's place)**

"Whao, neechan… you are filthy!" Haru exclaimed when Iris reached the Sumire's catering services after school to help out. "What did you do?"

Kotori did tell her that she will have to help out three times a week. One day during schooling days and the other two on the weekends.

"Don't ask…" Iris mumbled.

"You better hurry and change into our catering uniform!"

"Right…" Iris muttered again.

"Neechan are you alright."

"Never better…" Iris replied in a monotone voice.

Without another word, Iris walked into the changing rooms and slammed the door shut.

"There is something different with her these few days." Haru whispered staring at the closed door thoughtfully and suspiciously.

* * *

I can't believe this is happening to me! Iris thought remorsefully, looking down at her fingers. 

There were series of cuts cause by preparing some dishes earlier. She had never used kitchen knife before and never had to prepare food before. Due to her carelessness she had cut herself many times.

After more than a few cuts on her fingers, Iris gave up and went out through the back door of the kitchen. She sat by the door in the alley way on some discarded boxes at the side, looking rather defeated. She never knew a normal teenager's life would be this difficult. She would rather go back to her life up in the hills where she was served all the time.

"You sure are different today…" Iris suddenly heard Haru's voice by the door.

She turned towards him with surprised. He was holding a box of plasters in his hand towards her. Iris took it slowly and wearily.

"Thanks…"

"Even the last time when we went to Hawaii and when we had to cook some really weird foreign stuff, you didn't even mess up this bad." Haru continued.

"Yeah…" Iris agreed absentmindedly, not knowing what he was saying at all.

"Wrong," Haru snapped.

Iris whirled her head back towards Haru's sharp tone with surprised.

"We never had been to Hawaii." Haru frowned. "I knew you aren't oneechan! Oneechan can't see without glasses and certainly won't mess up while she cooks! Who the hell are you?"

Iris paled she had totally forgot to put back her glasses after taking them off while she was at the roof top.

"I knew there was something different these few days." Haru pressed. "I am going to call okasan."

"No, wait! Your sister is fine!" Iris quickly stood up and grabbed Haru back. "Your sister is taking my place as Kanzaki Iris!"

Haru turned back to Iris his eyes wide, his expression stunned.

"Your sister and I switch places a few days back." Iris explained, finally letting of Haru's arm and sank back down the boxes. "It was my idea. I was pretty sick of my life and I wanted to know how Kotori live her life…"

There was a pause as Haru watched Iris defeated look and sighed inwardly. For a rich and pampered girl like Iris, being in Kotori's life, was sure no picnic for her.

"Nothing extraordinary…." Haru said and sat next to her on the boxes. "Oneechan is one girl who always had her head down in school even I know she was bullied many times. I guess seeing you so filthy when you get here, someone did something to you in school?"

"Yeah, some really annoying girls…" Iris frowned. "But I won't give up so easily."

"All I can say is that… don't mess up my sister's life, she is working very hard towards the goal of getting the scholarship to Kanagawa University."

Iris turned to her Haru slightly speechless. She is no genius; this was something going to be a problem.

"You already have a purpose in life." Haru continued. "You already have a goal on what you can became in the future… my sister is still far from that goal and it would be terrible if everything screws up because of this."

Iris sighed inwardly remembering what Kotori told her days ago.

"_I have lots of responsibility in my place Iris! You can't do it! Let's switch back!" Kotori cried desperately on the phone._

"Right…" Iris frowned looking back at Haru with determination. "I won't screw it up for her. Even if I did, I will make it up for her!"

"You better." Haru smiled standing up. "But for now that you are in her place. Do you think I should teach you how to cook?"

Iris nearly groaned but got up and followed Haru back inside the kitchen nonetheless.

"By the way, how are going to withstand those annoying girls?" Haru asked curiously.

"I will be ready for them this time." Iris eyes flared with determination.

* * *

Iris felt rather down and tired when she saw Shohoku High loom before her. Another day to put on her strong willed to fight those girls off Kotori's life. However to her surprise, when she entered through the gates of Shohoku, there seemed to be like a small gathering around the front porch. Most of the boys around were really tall and among them, stood Rukawa looking sleepy, ignoring the girls around him. 

Basketball team? Iris thought vaguely and watching a boy in red head cheering for no reason at all.

There were pieces of paper, which looked like photocopies of newspaper clippings flying around the school ground but she ignored them. She shifted her backpack slightly and gripped onto her umbrella more firmly before she rolled her eyes at the small commotion before her eyes. It was always in Iris attitude not to care what was going on, she walked on in and headed for the door.

She had brought a huge backpack today instead of her usual briefcase. Somehow, she had a feeling if those girls were planning something again. She had to prepare something and whatever that was in her bag would be a surprised for those nasty girls.

"Hey look it's that Sumire again…" They were whispering around the corner, while Iris walked in and passed by the group of boys without acknowledging them.

"Let's throw dirty water again at her…." More whispers.

"Shows here where her place is…"

SPLASH!

The whole basketball team heard the oddity of sound, turned towards the direction to look. Two flabbergasted girls, one holding onto a bucket, was staring wide eyed at another figure before them. That person held out an umbrella before her, blocking the lot of water thrown at her direction. No one saw her face yet.

Mitsui raised his eyebrows at the scene. He only realized who that person was, when she moved the umbrella upwards and placed its handle gently over her shoulder.

Iris was looking rather annoyed and smug at the same time, watching those girls before her.

"I wonder it was raining today…." Iris spoke rather haughtily.

The two girls gulped.

"Anyways, I wondering if you would love to try getting wet yourself." Iris smiled rather sweetly after that.

"What are you…?" One of the girls spoke rather shakily.

"Oh nothing…" Iris dropped her umbrella and pulled a long plastic gun out of her backpack. "Complimentary from Sumire Kotori for helping me take a shower."

Iris aimed the gun and those girls and shoot. Paint balls appeared and hit those girls swiftly. The girls screamed and ran but before they could ran away from Iris paint balls they were hit several times gruesomely over their faces and uniform. They went off screaming, with green paint all over them.

"Hah…" Iris grinned, pulling the gun back and blowing the top at the imaginary smoke.

Without even caring about the amount of students she had attracted. She put the gun away and picked up the umbrella she had left opened on the ground. With one swift movement, she closed the umbrella and slung her backpack around her shoulder before walking in with her head held high.

The basketball team and some students still lounging around the front porch was rather quiet after the incident until Mitsui let out a low whistle.

"Looks like it is time that Sumire girl strikes back huh?" Mitsui grinned. "She is kind of cute when she isn't wearing glasses."

"Mitsui-sempai, do I hear an interest in that voice?" Ayako asked turning to him.

"I am pretty amazed that a shy girl like her could snap when she is angry." Mitsui chuckled. "People can be so unpredictable sometimes."

"Ah, well… I hope those girls don't bother her again after what happened." Kogure added in with a small gentle small. "I heard that she was always laughed at and teased a lot. I feel rather sorry for her sometimes."

"Oh well, looks like you don't have to anymore." Miyagi laughed. "Sumire Kotori strikes back."

Rukawa remained silent while he listened to his teammates talked about that girl he saw at the roof top dirty and wet from head to foot. He didn't know what happened then but today he got a slight picture of what happened the other day. He was pretty surprised to see how fast she reacted towards those girls, blocking the water with the umbrella. He wondered if she had brought the umbrella on purpose to be prepared for this.

Without much thought about anything else, Rukawa made his way into the building quietly. He could vaguely make out the noise and giggling behind him. This group of girls who loved to follow him everywhere he went. He was happy to know that those girls had no idea of his secret sleeping place yet. Well, except for one… Sumire Kotori.

However, he had no worries about that girl. She seemed like a quiet one even though the show of bravery and courage in front of those girls who tormented her everyday. Rukawa walked into his class slowly and was greeted by a small paper bag on his seat. He looked up at the his class and saw that no one seemed to have notice anyone coming in giving him this bag. He really hoped it was not from any of those girls trying to give him a present, declaring her love for him. He had enough of those love letters always stuck under his desk.

Anyhow, he peered into the bag slowly and saw something black inside and a small piece of note on top. Rukawa blinked and picked up the note with surprise even though he was void of all facial expression. He turned back to the door with wonderment.

That girl had managed to sneak into his class to return his uniform without even anyone noticing her. The note in his hand was a small and simple short note…

_Arigatou gosaimasu…_

No girls had given him notes like this before. She had returned his uniform that he had uncharacteristically thrown to her before he left. He had actually totally forgotten about it but she had returned it after all.

* * *

"Yes I heard that the red head from year one did a dunk almost at the end of Shoyo match…" 

Iris walked by the year three corridor and overheard a bunch of students talking about basketball match Shohoku had with Shoyo High not long ago. So, her school lost and she remembered that Shoyo was the second best in basketball last year. They had lost to Shohoku High?

Hmmm, I wonder if Fujima is feeling alright... Iris thought silently.

Even she hated him very much, she felt rather sorry for him that he lost the most important match to get into IH matches in the summer. She understood that feeling because she was an athlete too and the best in tennis. Now that she wasn't around in Shoyo High she was wondering how her team was doing.

She sighed inwardly and turned to corner. Out of a sudden she walked right into a solid wall and nearly fell back. Her hand flew up to her nose which felt like it had been flattened by that impact.

"Itai…" She whispered, closing her eyes tight.

"Gomen, I didn't see you coming!"

Iris opened her eyes and saw a rather tall gentle looking guy with brown hair. He must have been carrying books in his arms before he crashed into her because there were a load of books scattered all around them. That boy who Iris noted, must be older that her, he knelt down quickly to collect the books he dropped.

"Iie, it is my fault too for not looking, sempai!" Iris quickly dropped to her knees too and started helping him collecting the books that were everywhere in the corridor. "Let me help you."

"Arigatou," The boy smiled.

While Iris was picking up the books, she spotted a pair of glasses lying next to her feet. Very slowly and gingerly she picked them up. She looked over to the boy and held out the glasses to him.

"Are this yours?" Iris asked.

"Right," The boy smiled, taking them from her. "Hai thanks…."

Iris watched him put the glasses back on again and stood up with the pile of books in his arms. Iris had a couple of his books in hers too. She followed him and remembered seeing this sempai before, he looked really familiar. She inclined her head slightly.

"Thanks for helping me with the books." The boy said.

"No problem, where are you taking them? I can help you carry some."

"I am going to the teacher's room." He looked startled at the idea of this girl helping him. "I can do it myself."

"Iie, I am on my way there too." Iris smiled.

"Oh… ok then."

Both of them made their way to the teachers' room quietly. When they reached the place one of the teachers looked up at them and smiled.

"Arigatou Kogure-kun." The sensei said when they walked up to him. "Put those books over that side."

Only then Iris mind clicked. Kogure! She knew that name… he was from the Shohoku basketball team! The co-captain of the Shohoku basketball team! Right, no wonder he looked familiar.

"Thanks again!" Kogure smiled at Iris gently.

"No problem!" Iris replied and headed to another sensei who was looking for her.

Kogure watched her walked off before he left the staff room and saw Akagi coming up towards him. He headed over to his friend with his thoughts filled by that girl who was always bullied by others. He never knew that she could be so helpful and friendly. Usually he remembered seeing her looking shy and always had her head down most of the time. It was somehow seemed to be a miracle for such a big change in that girl.

* * *

Iris ran again during break when a group of girls came up towards her. Holding on to her bento she dashed for it. She knew she was out numbered again, that was why she ran. She headed towards the same corridor with that lonely door with the rusted doorknob again and she found herself up on the lonely roof top with only Rukawa slumbering figure as a company again. 

How did I miss seeing him the first time I was here? Iris asked herself inwardly.

She stood before Rukawa who lay on one side, an arm bent underneath his head sleeping peacefully. She remembered the first time she was here, she was so angry she wasn't even looking at where she was going and had missed noticing such a big person on the tile floor snoozing away.

Very quietly, without waking Rukawa up, she sat several feet away from him. Very near to the rail, with her leg crossed, she placed her bento before her and opened it. This was the first bento she had made after Haru had tried his best to teach her how to cook. Picking up her wooden chopstick she picked out an egg rolled and popped it into her mouth...

"Oh gross…." Iris stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Haru is going to kill me! I made his bento for him too!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in Haru's school…. 

"Disgusting! What the hell is this?" Haru cried out appalled by the bento Iris had made. "After I took so much effort teaching her and she still couldn't cook! This is going to be the first and last time I am going to let her cook my bento!"

* * *

Iris put her bento away, leaned back the rail taking a deep breath and looked up the sky. There was no way she could go to the school cafeteria today. She would have to wait until after school to eat now and she was awfully hungry right now. 

"Today sucks…" Iris said under her breath.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she moved her gaze back at where Rukawa was sleeping earlier. However, Rukawa was no longer asleep, but now sitting on the tile floor where he lay earlier, looking towards the horizon in his passive expression. He was so quiet that Iris didn't even notice he woke up.

Rukawa nearly got a heart attack when he saw a girl in his vision as soon as he opened his sleepy eyes. When he realized that it was only Kotori Sumire, he relaxed slightly. That girl didn't make a single sound this time when she came here. She looked like she was sitting there quiet and solemnly with her bento next to her. Rukawa was wondering why she wasn't eating while she looked rather defeated as she looked up the sky. She was sitting quite a distance from him as if she was afraid that he may have decease or something and she looked rather startled when she noticed he was awake.

"I didn't mean to wake you…" Iris spoke softly, feeling slightly guilty for disturbing him.

Rukawa turned towards her again for a moment before looking away. That gesture pisses Iris off slightly. How rude! She was trying to apologize for taking away his private territory and he was ignoring her!

"Whatever…." Iris continued in a haughty tone. "I didn't mean to come here but I had no where else to go… and this was the only place I could think of to hide."

There was a short silence before Rukawa turned back to her for a moment before turning away again.

"Do as you like…" He said softly, his face in another direction.

Iris raised an eyebrow. Was it his way of saying; stay if you wish, as long as you don't disturb me.

"Arigatou…" Iris whispered and picked up her bento again. She was awfully hungry, so she had no choice but to eat what she made.

Rukawa turned back to her again and watched her take a bite of an onigiri with a look of repulsion. Was that bento so hard to eat? Iris looked back up at him again and was surprise to see him watching her.

"You want some?" Iris asked her eyes wide.

Rukawa didn't answer.

"But I better warn you first." Iris continued when he didn't speak, scooted closer to him and holding out the bento towards him. "I am not a good cook…"

Without an answer Rukawa reached out to her bento, took an onigiri in his hand and started eating. Iris stared at him, rather startled. He didn't flinch at that horrible onigiri she had made but rather just ate it quietly.

Well he should at least say something, Iris thought angrily but her anger didn't last for long. Whatever it is, I guess it doesn't matter… and she smiled slightly.

TBC

* * *

Okies, next chapter I think I will be coming up with Kotori again! Those who love to see Fujima and her together. Since Fujima was starting to like the new 'Iris' which is actually Kotori, things will start to get complicated. Kotori who still being confused and afraid of Fujima knowing who she really is, will be shocked when the real Iris turned up in front of her. That is the brief summary of the next chapter. I will try to put it up soon. 

BTW, I do agree with Jai who said something about Rukawa and Iris not being able to hit together... that is why I am planning not to make a romance out of Iris life since she takes a career as a model very seriously, but Iris will make lots of friends in Shohoku High which she would inventually feel sad to leave them when time comes.


	13. Close Shave

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any characters in SlamDunk

Before the start of the chapter, I really really need to give a huge apology to all those who follows this fanfic. I know that it took me nearly the whole year to come up with this chapter. I am so sorry (bow bow) Actually I sort of lost all the time I have when I started working full time. Then when I have some holidays... I am too lazy or either too tired to actually sit down in front of my computer to think how to write a chapter. Even how much I love to update... when there was lack of inspiration... I am afraid that the chapter will not come out nice.

I need to thank everyone who had reviewed and also those who read my fics and always give me constant support. I am glad to know that there are readers who are still willing to read this fic even after such a long wait. Thank you so much. Honto arigatou gosaimasu.

I did this chapter is a rush so that I could update for everyone... I didn't really edit it properly, so there may be mistakes here and there that are missed. Sorry...

**Chapter 13: Close Shave**

**Both characters in same chapter ( I hope its not confusing since I did have a complain that this fic was difficult to read)**

"Do we have to do this?" Kotori asked when Remi dressed her up in a silk violet evening gown. It had a v-shaped neck and spaghetti stripe strings which were tied to the back of her neck. The gown was long and flare towards the ground. "It's only a birthday party…."

"Iris's birthday party which is held every year is huge." Remi explained. "Reporters and managers from famous magazine and television companies would always appear! So you have to try your best to be Iris for tonight… and smile more with your head up… up! I realized you like to look down!"

"Fine…" Kotori mumbled.

"You know… Iris' mother loves the Sumire Catering Services…" Remi ushered Kotori to the dressing table and pushed her down on the chair. "I think you may meet Iris-chan today?"

"I hope we don't really bump into one another… it will be a disaster… if anyone finds out especially Fujima … I don't know what he will think."

"Don't be too friendly with that Kenji Fujima." Remi said calmly as she set Kotori's hair. "It would be a problem when Iris comes back. She doesn't really like him very much."

"I know… and I wonder why… Fujima is such a nice person." Kotori said rather absent mindedly.

"You sound like you like him Kotori-chan." Remi grinned at her. "Maybe you both may be a hit together…"

"Of course not!" Kotori exclaimed with her cheeks flashing crimson. "It can't be… I am only a normal girl… even if Fujima likes someone… that person must be really… really…"

Kotori's voice trailed off as she stared at herself in the mirror miserably. There was no way Fujima will ever like someone as plain and simple as she was. If he ever finds out, Kotori was afraid she will never see him again. For now, she will try to treasure the time with Fujima as much as possible. She couldn't dare to imagine what would become as soon as the day finally arrives when she will leave Shoyo High and Iris's life forever.

Remi watched Kotori's down cast expression in the reflection of the mirror and smiled softly. She placed both her hands on Kotori's shoulder and gently and bent over slightly until she reach Kotori's ears.

"You know, Fujima is the kind of person who doesn't go for someone's fame or looks." Remi said softly with the small smile on her face. "You might not know that Fujima got attracted to you because you are Sumire Kotori not Kanzaki Iris."

"When that day comes…." Kotori smiled softly but a rather heartrending smile. "I wonder… what will actually happen… maybe a rain of shooting stars will appear in the night sky, which is impossible right here in Japan. What a laugh."

Remi straightened up and looked despondently at Kotori. She couldn't understand why this pretty girl before her had no confidence in herself at all. She couldn't even see how unique or special she was.

"I better get going… the guests had arrived long ago didn't they?" Kotori forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Are you coming down with me Remi-san?"

"Maids and housekeepers aren't allowed out in the ballroom during times like this." Remi said regrettably. "However… maybe I will bend the rule for tonight."

"Thank you Remi-san."

* * *

In the Kitchen of Kanzaki mansion 

"Hey neechan!" Haru called. "Bad news… one of the waitresses had called in sick! We need someone to fill in!"

"But there is no other…"

"I was thinking of you Iris…" Haru whispered to her.

"What!" Iris looked at Haru as if he had gone mad. "I can't hold a tray with one hand without everything toppling down!"

"We have no choice!" Haru groaned himself. "I have to be in the kitchens because you can't help much here, so the only thing now left for you is to replace that waitress."

"Don't blame me if I screw up!" Iris snatched the waitress uniform from Haru with a huffed. "You never even taught me how to hold the tray."

"Just hold it with two hands!" Haru shook his head and waved his hand. "It's too late to even teach you the right way to hold the tray. That is, one hand behind you back."

"Forget it… I am holding the tray with two hands…."

"Don't forget to wear your glasses, neechan!" Haru called after the departing figure of Iris.

* * *

Kotori was glad that Remi came down to the ballroom with her. The place was filled with so many well-off and highly polished people; she was in the verge of breaking down into tears. She was never used to this kind of plush parties. Even though Remi could only stay for a short while, Kotori was glad that she was able to help by distinguish all those people Iris knew as much as she could. With a plastic smile on her face, Kotori tried to blend into the crowd of mature and older people. They talked about nothing but Iris modeling occupation. Remi had given her a tip. Just listen with a smile and there was no need to speak. All these people will do the talking. So she did as she was told. However, to hold the smile on her face was pretty difficult. 

"I hope everyone doesn't mind." Suddenly Kotori heard a voice so familiar to her ears. "But I will like to borrow Kanzaki-san for a moment."

Kotori turned around to see Fujima smiling charmingly at the crowd of older people around her. He held up a hand to wait for Kotori to put hers on it. Feeling relieve to see Fujima, Kotori willingly place her hand in his and he led her away.

"I thought you look like you need some rescuing." Fujima said when they were an ear shot away from them. "Your smile looked like someone took a photograph of it and paste it over your face."

"Tell me about it…" Kotori frowned slightly and rubbed her one side of her sore cheek with her one free hand. Her other hand was still held in Fujima's. "I thought I was never going to be able to leave that crowd. They just go on and on and on…"

Fujima chuckled and Kotori blushed when she heard him laughed. It was also at the same time she realized that Fujima was still holding on her hand.

"I bet you hadn't even eaten," Fujima smiled gently at her. "Would you like something to eat?"

"Not really…" Kotori shook her head. "Remi-san made sure that I had something to eat before I come to the party. She knew that I may not be able to have anything until this party is over which will be very late."

"That is true…" Fujima whispered and remembered her birthday party he had attended last year because his father made him to. This year he had come willingly and he had hand picked a gift for her too. The last time, he had just told his chauffeur to choose something instead.

"You came too last year…?" Kotori looked at him wide eyed. After she said that she wanted to smack her mouth for it. "I am sorry…. There were just so many people around… I think I miss seeing you."

"I don't blame you." Fujima still smiled at her which sort of relieved her worried heart. "I didn't spot you last year either…"

They both looked at one another in silence for a moment and started laughing after a minute passed.

"That is plain weird." Kotori said after her laughter subsided. "And I am here worried that you may be angry I didn't entertain you."

"Why would you be worried?" Fujima asked again in his whispery and low voice which made Kotori's heart pitter patter. "Don't you hate me…?"

"I don't hate you." Kotori blushed and turned to him rather bashfully. "You are such a nice person… I couldn't make myself to hate you…"

"Really…" Fujima leaned closer to her.

Kotori held her breath and her eyes widened when she realized how close Fujima's face was to hers. Then his lips… his lips! It was almost touching hers!

CRASH!!!!!

"ITAI!!!!!"

Kotori snapped her head back when she heard that and even Fujima snapped out of his trance. They turned to the commotion they heard. Before Kotori knew it, she made her way to see who broke that wonderful moment. When she reached the person, she was a waitress carrying the glasses of wine around. Now all the glasses were smash and she looked rather angry and her face shone bright red sitting on the floor. She was staring at Kotori rather angrily.

"Iri…Iris" Kotori uttered. "Na…"

They attracted a lot of people while Iris stood up in a flash grabbed Kotori's arm and they fled out through one of the doors to the balcony that over looked the mansion garden.

"What the hell were you doing?" Iris yelled at her. "I saw you! I saw you!"

"Huh?"

"YOU weren't supposed to be so close to KENJI FUJIMA!" Iris shouted as if she had gone berserk. "You weren't suppose to do that… you weren't… oh no… don't tell me you fell for him Kotori?"

"I…" Kotori looked horrified. "I don't know…"

"It is a disaster." Iris rolled her eyes. "You know when we switch back… you have a hell of a lot of things to explain to him."

"Is he an understanding type?" Kotori asked timidly. "I don't want him to hate me…"

"Well… who knows?" Iris shrugged. "Truthfully I don't really know him well… I don't like him because… he is too demanding when I work for him."

"I think he is alright…" Kotori said thoughtfully and remembered him being rather caring. He even helped her aid her aching feet after the photo shoot.

"No way…" Iris's stared at Kotori with rather skeptical look. "No bloody way… you like him don't you!"

"Jeez… why you and Remi-san thinks the same." Kotori cried annoyed that two people said that to her today. She tried to act nonchalant about it but the blush on her face gave her away. "I don't think that way… even if I do… he will never…"

Her sentence was cut short when she heard someone approaching the balcony. Both Iris and Kotori panicked and looked around frantically to hide.

"Shit…" Iris muttered. "There is no way."

"I have an idea…" Kotori said.

* * *

After the commotion Fujima was pretty surprised Iris (Kotori) dashed towards it. Usually the Iris (Kotori) he knew didn't bother when someone working for her or other people made a blunder. Before he could even catch up to her, the person who broke their magical moment and Iris (Kotori) were gone. 

Nonetheless, it didn't take very long to finally find where they went. After asking a few people, they told him that a waitress pulled Iris (Kotori) out to the balcony. Why would a waitress do that? He pushed the curtains away and looked out to see Iris (Kotori) standing alone at the balcony looking at the huge well-kept garden. The silvery moon gave her whole body a beautiful glow and to Fujima she looked like an angel.

* * *

Kotori turned around when Fujima approached her. She smiled pleasantly at him, hoping and crossing her fingers behind her back that he didn't hear that she was with someone earlier. 

"I was told that you came out to the balcony with a waitress." Fujima told her. "So I came to look for you, when you didn't come back. Is something a matter?"

Kotori gulped… at the word 'waitress…'

"I needed some fresh air after seeing so many people inside." She finally said and still trying to smile pleasantly. "It was getting rather stuffy so I came out…"

"I see." Fujima smiled. "You want me to join you here…?"

There was a gasped from behind Kotori.

"Did you hear something?" Fujima asked trying to see behind Kotori who stopped him.

"Hear what?" Kotori asked and looking rather unnerved now. "I didn't hear anything."

"Are you alright Iris?" Fujima asked looking concerned when Kotori suddenly turned all white like paper. "You looked like you suddenly seen a ghost."

Behind Kotori, Iris seethed when he heard Fujima saying her name. When did they become personal name basis? Then she recalled Kotori still called him by his family name.

_Damn my arms hurt…_ Iris thought with her eyes getting watery. _Why are they beating around the bush? Hurry up and get back into the party._

From far, if anyone seen the scene of the balcony. They will get a shock and have the wrong impression that a poor waitress had fallen over the balcony and was dangling there in mid air holding for her dear life. But she wasn't… Iris was only hiding from Fujima Kenji.

"I so hate that guy now…" Iris whispered.

Kotori gasped when she heard that.

"I am sure someone is…" Fujima frowned and tried to get nearer to the balcony rail.

It was Iris turned to gasp and then her hand slipped from the edge of the balcony floor when she heard footsteps approaching. Without a time to scream she fell backwards and landed into a bush below with a loud rustling sound.

"No one is there!" Kotori exclaimed and tried to grab Fujima back.

Being clumsy in heals and a long gown, Kotori tripped. Fujima turned to her when he saw her falling. As quick as lightning he reached for her and grabbed her towards him. The next unexpected thing happened for the both of them were that Kotori lips crashed towards Fujima's into a lip locked kiss.

Kotori and Fujima stared at one another wide eyes. She was the one to pull away from Fujima first. Without another word, Kotori fled back into the ballroom without a backward glance. Her face was flashing like a red apple.

_That was my first kiss! Why has it got to be that way? I was hoping it to be more romantic!_ Kotori moaned inwardly in despair.

"Iris…" Fujima whispered touching his lips gently.

He also didn't plan to kiss Iris (Kotori) that way. With a small frowned, he headed back into the ballroom to look for her again. He wasn't letting her run away now.

"Iris…" Fujima called after Kotori who was heading out of the ballroom through another exit that will lead out to the gardens. "Wait…"

She out to another balcony where there was a flight of stairs to lead them to the garden below. When she was running down the stairs Fujima caught her arm to stop her.

"I am so sorry!" Kotori mumbled without looking back.

"Why are you sorry?" Fujima asked still holding onto her. He knew that if he let go she was going to run away again. "I am not… and I won't apologize for what happened earlier either."

"Eh…" Kotori turned to him with wide eyes.

"I…" Fujima brushed his hair back rather agitated at the situation. "I just didn't want to kiss you that way… but in another…" His voice trailed off. It was his turned to feel shy now.

"Huh…." Kotori blinked.

"I have something for you…" Fujima smiled slightly at Kotori's confused and blushing face. "I hope you like it."

Fujima pulled out a red velvet jewellery box and hand it to her.

"It's for me?" Kotori blinked and took the box in her hand gingerly.

"I hope you will like it…"

Very slowly Kotori opened the lid and her eyes widened at the sight of what was inside the box. She looked up at Fujima with wide eyes. He could only smile at her. By the look on her face, Fujima could tell she liked the heart shaped diamond pendant necklace he had bought for her.

"But… you shouldn't get something so expensive…" Kotori whispered. "I…"

"I want to…" Fujima said taking the necklace from the box and walked behind her. "This is to tell you I really treasure our relationship we have."

Fujima wore the necklace around Kotori's neck gently. After the clasped was fastened, very gradually Kotori turned around to face Fujima again and he leaned down towards her giving her the kiss that she will never forget.

* * *

"MOH!!!!" Iris cried furiously as she emerged from the bush in a flash. "I HATE THIS!" 

"Whao… that was a huge fall." Someone said behind her.

With a jumped she turned around slowly and cautiously to see who it was. That voice somehow sounded familiar. She came face to face with Mitsui Hisashi and she relaxed.

"Oh, it's only you…" Iris breathed a sighed of relief, looking down the ground with a hand over her heart. "I thought my life was over for a moment."

"You seemed like you are avoiding someone and that someone is not me." Mitsui smiled. "I am glad.

Iris turned back to him and realized that Mitsui was wearing a black tux. His hair was still the usual fashionable spiky style. He stood over her in a lazy and almost cool manner with both hands shove in his black pants. He was rather handsome in his dress up tonight.

"By the way, why are you here?" Iris suddenly realized that only famous media people comes her birthday party every year. She didn't remember if anyone by the name of Mitsui in her list of guests. "Are you working for the media?"

Mitsui laughed.

"No, I am no big shot like that." Mitsui said with a grinned. "However, I am a representative for someone today."

"Oh really…" Iris inclined her head. No wonder….

"The head of the Kawaii magazine had some emergency." Mitsui said. "My father is a good friend of his and he asked for a favour and told me to come. Since I am pretty good in photography… he told me to come to take some pictures of the party for the next month edition."

"I see…" Iris nodded her head slightly and then did a double take. "PHOTOGRAPHY???"

"I don't look like someone who likes photography?" Mitsui laughed again. "Your reaction is the best."

"Like lots of people say, never judge the book by its cover…" Iris chuckled in a rather feminine way.

"That is so true." Mitsui grinned. "To think the normal shy and quiet Sumire Kotori will strike back and stood up for herself these few days."

Iris blanched at that name.

"Is something a matter?" Mitsui's grinned faded and a look of concern took over. "You suddenly look so pallid."

"No… it's nothing." Iris shook her head and looked back up the balcony.

_I wonder if the real Kotori is doing alright now…_ she thought to herself silently.

She could hear music coming out from the ballroom even though she was at the garden. People must have started the ballroom dancing now. Maybe that was why Mitsui came out to the garden. Perhaps he didn't want to dance. But how wrong she was when suddenly, Mitsui held up his hand to her and bowed.

"May I have this dance?" He asked in a gentleman manner.

This was very unlike him but he was enjoying the game with Iris. For the first time, even in his captivating looks and ways, she was rather unfazed or even moved by his charms. She was sure smooth.

"You should have stayed in the ballroom if you wanted to." Iris smiled rather impishly.

"I didn't have a partner that was why I sneak away and I am glad I did because now I do."

Iris smiled and took his hand. For now, she would push all worries away. For now…

TBC

* * *

The meeting with Mitsui was rather a surprise one isn't it? LOL... I thought Iris would meet someone from Shohoku at the party... I couldn't put Rukawa in since even in the anime, its easy to read him... he wouldn't want to go to parties. He rather sleep if he had the extra time. So Mitsui came into the picture for some reasons... like I did mention that Iris will meet lots of people in Shohoku that taught her what real friends were like. Let's see how the other chapter proceed. Now that I have public holiday here... I did have some time so I thought I will quickly update and also some encouraging reviews that put me on the go too... :) Thank you

Till the next chapter...


	14. Trapped

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any characters from SlamDunk

I am trying to finished this fic sooner... so I will try to update as often as I can. I had neglected this fic for too long. It is time I should be putting an end to this story... but don't worry not yet for now.

Thanks for all those who had reviewed... I really appreciate it very much. Honto arigatou gosaimasu.

_Italic_ sentences are thoughts

Enjoy this chapter...

**Chapter 14: Trapped**

**(Kanzaki Iris in Shohoku High as Sumire Kotori)**

Iris hammered her shoulder gently while she walked through the gates of Shohoku High. She was getting rather used to walking to school now. But after falling from the first floor, even though the bush broke her fall, she couldn't help it but felt her whole body ached. Maybe it was walking around with a tray in the hand the whole night.

"Tage… why is school so early." Iris mumbled. "Can't they make it slightly later…?"

Then she cracked her neck by moving her head left and then right. Even though it was very unfeminine way to relief her stiff shoulders and neck but Iris wasn't worried. She knew that no one was watching her like when she was leading her own life, being spied by paparazzi or being chased by reporters. This life Kotori was so carefree, except for being bullied everyday by Rukawa's crazy girls.

"Maybe I should change H.A.G to R.C.G…" Iris chuckled to herself. "Rukawa's Crazy Girls…"

Before she could come with more silly ideas of names to call Rukawa's brigades, someone tap her back gently.

"Yo…" She heard Mitsui greeted her.

"Ah," Iris turned to him with a cheerful smile. It was nice to be greeted normally like this in the morning compared to eggs thrown at her face. "Ohayo…"

"So didn't get enough rest last night?" Mitsui sniggered. "You look like you was about to fall asleep walking."

"I wish I could do that…" Iris sighed. "That will save me from being tired. I heard that Rukawa-kun could sleep when he cycle. Maybe I should ask him to teach me his technique."

"You have to be kidding me." Mitsui laughed. "That boy had a head of a coconut shell. Do you know how many times he crashed into cars or lamp poses on the way to school? And he can still appear unhurt?

"It is amazing to have a natural helmet for his head." Iris laughed rather heartily.

Some girls waiting for Iris to appear was rather disappointed when she appeared with Mitsui Hisashi. They couldn't do anything to her now. Feeling bored and rather agitated they left her and plot to get her during break instead. Being very cautious every morning Iris looked left and right for those girls who waited for her every morning. When she saw them leaving she sighed a breath of relieve.

"Don't worry," Mitsui smiled when he saw Iris being so alert around her. "When you are with me, they won't come near you."

"That is a good thing." Iris smiled and pulled open her locker and then screamed. "AUGHHH!"

She backed away so hastily she collided into Mitsui who stood not far from her. Mitsui looked towards her locker and saw slithering snakes falling out of her locker. Even thought those snakes were harmless snakes but to have them greeting you in the morning wasn't exactly pleasant.

"What the hell is this?" Iris shouted angrily.

"You think that you can get away from everything you do Sumire?" Chiro looked smug not far from her. "Your days in Shohoku High will never rest as long as I am still here. So if you can't take it, transfer to another school."

Iris cursed, even though she hate snakes and was rather scared of them but she was just too furious that her fear was puffed out. Mitsui was actually about to come to her defense but stopped when Iris walked over to the snakes angrily and grabbed one of it. He watched her in surprised. What was she planning to do?

"Who did you ask to do this?" Iris sneered and held one snake in her hand. "For a person like you, you wouldn't even touch this kind of things!"

"What do you mean…?" Chiro backed away when she realized that Iris was walking closer to her with the snake in her hand. "I don't…"

"DON'T SHIT WITH ME!" Iris screamed and threw the snake at her face.

"AUGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!" Chiro gave a blood curling screamed and ran off.

"CAN'T I HAVE A NORMAL MORNING FOR ONCE?" Iris shouted and frightened most students away who were near.

"That must be refreshing…" Mitsui placed his hand on Iris shoulder gently.

Iris turned to him wide eyes and saw that he was smiling rather charmingly at her. She smiled in returned and nodded once. After screaming out loud, Iris did felt much better.

"Hai…" She replied rather cheerfully.

"I took some really cool pictures at Kanzaki Iris's birthday party." Mitsui said, trying to change the subject. "If you want to see my work, I would be in the dark room after school. Come and join me if you can. It is a good thing that the school photography club has two dark rooms and the president of the club allows students to use it. So I usually do the process myself. "

"Sure, I will come take a look at your master pieces." Iris winked at him with a grin. "But after school, I have to help Risha with her cooking activities. But I am sure I will have time to come by."

_I wonder how Kontori looks in candid shots, so far she looked pretty cool in the recent magazine shots,_ Iris thought to herself.

"Well, this is great then. I will go for basketball practice first and after that we can meet up. You won't regret it." Mitsui gave her a thumb up sign and was walking off. "You better hurry the bell rang not long ago."

"Oh damn…" Iris perked up and quickly went to get a pair of guest slippers. "This is not good!"

"Moh! Why has this got to happen to me always?" She shouted while she dashed towards her year one corridor and ran all the way to her class. She missed noticing Rukawa who had seen the whole matter. Even he didn't show any expression, he find it amusing just watching her…

* * *

It was the last period before lunch break when Iris class was having swimming lesson. They were having a combine swimming class with a third year class. The girls and boys were separated in groups. While the boys looked half bored and some checking out the girls who were squealing softly when cold water splashes on them. 

Iris however stood as far as possible away from the pool. That was one thing she had skipped out most of the time was swimming. She may know some swimming strokes but she wasn't very good in it. She wondered if Kotori could swim. She was crossing her finger that she wasn't any better than her. If not, she will have lots to explain to the teacher. If suddenly Kotori lost her ability to swim.

"Hey Kotori even know you only know free stroke style… you don't have to stay away so far from the pool." Yuriko called to Iris. "Come on, we are usually a pair."

"What about Sasami?" Iris asked walking over to her.

_OK, that is not so bad I know free style too…_ Iris thought to herself in relief.

For once, Iris didn't have a bad time in her class. It went rather smoothly for her while she paired up with some swimming race with Yuriko. Even though they weren't a fast group but Iris didn't have to worry for not being able to swim fast because Kotori couldn't.

From the other side of the huge swimming pool, the third year students watched the year one in the competition and among those students stood Kogure and Akagi at the side of the pool.

"Is that Sumire?" Kogure asked watching the girl swim cautiously among the group of girls.

"I think so…" Akagi replied.

Without another word Kogure watched her swim her best to reach the end of the pool. She looked like only an ordinary swimmer compared to her skills in tennis.

When the bell rang at the end of the period, the year one students scattered for their towels and were on their way to the shower rooms. While Iris walked towards the showers with Kotori's friends, she realized that she had left her watch by her swimming pool. She had forgotten to take it off and kept it in their changing room locker. Without a choice she took them off and placed them at a corner of the pool where no one will be able to tread on it.

She went back to the now empty pool room. But not far from the pool room someone stood near by watching her disappearing inside and followed her not long later…

* * *

"What is wrong Kogure?" Akagi asked when Kogure looked around in his belongings. 

"I think I left my Physical Education notes by the pool." Kogure said. "I will be right back."

Akagi watched Kogure walking back towards the direction of the pool. However, when he was nearby he could hear screams and shouts inside. He frowned and dashed forward. He burst inside to see Kotori (Iris) falling backwards towards the pool while another girl ran to exit the pool room through another door opposite of where he was standing.

"Sumire-san?" Kogure was alarmed when he didn't see her emerging to the surface.

It was the deep end of the pool where she fell into, without wasting any time; Kogure took off his glasses and dashed forward. He dived in swiftly.

He swam briskly under water towards Iris; her body looked fairly limp and was reaching the bottom of the pool. Kogure got to her, grabbed her around the waist and kicked upwards promptly. They broke to the surface in less than a minute.

Kogure swam deftly over to the side with one arm around Iris and made sure he kept her above the water. When they got to the edge, he hoisted her out of the pool onto the tile floor and pushed himself up. He knelt next to her and tapped her cheeks lightly.

"Hey Sumire-san…" Kogure called softly but urgently. "Sumire-san, wake up!"

Iris didn't move or acknowledged his calls. She looked very pale now and her eyes shut tight. Her body felt rather cold too.

Kogure began to panic and bent over to face to listen for breathing. He couldn't hear any.

"Damn…" Kogure whispered.

He lifted her head back slightly and her mouth opened a little. With one hand under her chin and the other pressing her nose, he lowered his mouth over hers…

* * *

A few minutes before Kogure came by… 

"Who is there?" Iris cried when she heard that she wasn't alone.

She turned to see Chiro grabbed her by her arms.

"What…" Iris shouted at her. "Let go…"

"I heard that you can't swim well…" Chiro smirked at her.

Iris panicked when she felt Chiro pushing her backwards towards the deep end of the pool. She struggled in her grasped, desperate to get free from her tight hold.

"So what if I can't!" Iris sneered back at her.

"Just DIE!" Chiro screamed at her pushed her back.

"Wait!" Iris uttered when she realized that she was falling backwards and Chiro loosen her grip of her arm.

Chiro watched her fall when the door from the other side of the pool creaked opened. Without waiting to see what the situation was or who came in, she turned and fled.

Iris felt her whole body being so heavy as she sank gradually to the bottom. Her eyes wide opened in shock watching the blurry outline of the pool room above her. She couldn't float no matter what she did. Then bit by bit her breath became slower and her eyes begin to close…

* * *

When Iris opened her eyes again she came face to face with a boy with brown hair and gentle looking eyes. She blinked and when the image didn't fade away she blinked again. When the person spoke she only realized she wasn't dreaming. 

"Sumire-san are you alright?" Kogure asked her.

"I think so…" Iris croaked and sat up slowly. "Ano…"

"I happened to come by when you were drowning." Kogure said while he put his glasses back on. "Maybe we should go to the nurse office."

"Iie," Iris shook her head. After Kogure had his glasses back on only did she know who he was. She was still a bit slow in the uptake after what had happened. "I am fine…"

"Who did this?" Kogure asked furiously. "That wasn't something she should play around with. You could have died if I didn't come by!"

"I…" Iris opened her mouth but close it again when she couldn't tell. "I slip and fell…"

"Even so that girl should have stayed to help you…" Kogure said rather skeptically. "Even though I saw the back of that person… I think that was Chiro…"

"It is nothing Kogure-sempai." Iris frowned and stood up swiftly. "Don't say anything. I will handle this by myself."

"But…" Kogure looked up at her rather worriedly. "She may…"

"I will handle her myself!" Iris yelled irately. "Please stay out of this!"

With that she turned and was about to walk off but stopped. She turned her head slightly to look at Kogure.

"But… thank you for saving me today." Iris said with a small smile. "I really appreciate it… but what happened today let me handle it myself."

With that she walked off.

"Why do you have to always act so brave…?" Kogure whispered softly while he watched Iris disappeared through the door.

* * *

After school during basketball practice… 

"You know, I think Sumire-san should tell a teacher about what happened." Kogure said to Akagi while they were inspecting the players' movements and skills. "I have a feeling if Chiro is capable for something like this, she may do it again."

"Chiro may be reckless sometimes…" Akagi replied. "But to do something like this twice, I don't think she is that stupid."

"I still can't rest until this childish dispute ends." Kogure said. "I hate to see anyone getting hurt."

"You always act like a big brother Kogure." Akagi smiled slightly.

Rukawa stood not far from them and unconsciously, heard the little tale Kogure had told Akagi. So Chiro still wouldn't give up on tormenting that girl Sumire Kotori (Iris). It looked like Kotori (Iris) had been nearly hurt by her silly and childish act. Looking at his team mates indifferently, Rukawa remained silent and waited for Akagi to give him instruction on his next move. So what will this Sumire Kotori (Iris) would do next? Rukawa was pretty amused at how she stood up to Chiro. Even it wasn't any of his business but after this striking back issue, Chiro had been rather busy troubling Sumire Kotori (Iris) more than him and for once Rukawa felt he had some peace.

"Rukawa you are up next" Akagi bellowed.

Pushing all thoughts away, Rukawa ran into the courts with his teammates…

* * *

After school after her meeting with Risha, Iris was on her way to meet with Mitsui in the darkroom to see the pictures he took. 

"Tage… why does this always happened to Kotori…" Iris muttered to herself making cracking sound on her neck again. "First falling from the first floor last night and today falling into the deep end of the pool. Her life seemed rather interesting to begin with."

Iris made her way towards the rather quiet and empty corridor. Most students had gone home because it after all the end of all school activities. While Iris walked on she looked out the glass window and caught sight of the darkening sky. It was still in the evening, there was no way it was getting dark so soon.

"I hope it is not going to rain…" Iris whispered to herself. "I didn't bring an umbrella… I guess I better hurry…"

She sped up her pace towards the Photography Club.

* * *

Mitsui worked quietly in the darkroom by himself putting in the film in to develop one by one. After the photo was developed, he hung them up to dry. While waiting for Kotori (Iris) to arrive, he checked his shots carefully. In one of the photos, Mitsui frowned when he caught a shot of Iris Kanzaki (Kotori) in a beautiful light violet gown and in the background even though it was rather far from the camera, Mitsui didn't make any mistake, Kotori (Iris) was there serving wine. 

"From this angle, they looked almost alike…" Mitsui said softly pulling the photo down from the clips where he hung the photos to dry. He switched on the lights to get a better look. "Almost like twins…"

"Kombawa Mitsui-sempai," Iris came in then with a smile. "I came to see your master pieces!"

Mitsui turned to her with a small frowned on his face. Iris blinked with the smile still on her face but she was rather bewildered why Mitsui was looking at her like that.

"Mitsui-sempai?" Iris muttered with a frozen smile on her face. "Is there something a matter?"

"Iie…" Mitsui quickly smiled and pushed the photo away from her view.

"Uwah…" Iris went over the line of photos he had hung up, with her hands behind her back. "Your shots are beautiful!"

"Right, thank you." Mitsui grinned. "I told you I am pretty good at this."

"You are not only just good…" Iris smiled. "Ano, Mitsui-sempai… besides playing basketball, do you think about what you want to be in the future?"

"Why do you ask…?"

"Just asking…" Iris still smiled.

She was thinking of recruiting him as her personal model photographer but Iris couldn't ask him that now. So she had to wait. He was really good in photography.

"Really…" Mitsui looked at her suspiciously.

"You know… if you are really interested in photography I may be able to help you get a job in the future…" Iris grinned at him cheerfully. "I know some contacts."

"Sure…" Mitsui smiled. "I will think about it."

"Great!" Iris winked. "It is getting slightly late, so I think I should get going first."

_I hope I could get home before it really starts raining…_ Iris thought inwardly.

"Right, I will see you tomorrow then." Mitsui smiled. "Thanks for the recommendations… I will think through it. It sounds rather interesting."

"No problem." Iris waved. "Ja Mitsui-sempai…"

Mitsui watched her leave and only pulled out the photograph he hid when she was gone. He studied the picture in his hand again.

"Somehow… this is pretty strange that these two girls looked so alike…" Mitsui was puzzled.

* * *

Rukawa stayed back in the school basketball court after everyone had left. He could hear a rumble not far off and he looked up the windows to see the sky had darkened rather drastically and it looked like rain was pouring. 

_I guess I will stay here until the rain ends_… Rukawa thought to himself.

He had practiced for hours now, and he was drenched in perspiration. His towel he had with him was also rather soaked. Recalling that he had an extra towel and shirt in his locker, he walked out of the courts into the school building to the boys' locker room.

During his walk towards the locker room, he noticed that the corridor floor had puddles of water along the way. Wondering who had walked into the school building dripping wet and wondered if it was that do'aho again. (He was thinking of Sakuragi) He entered the locker room that was in darkness and reached for the switch. But when he pushed the switch on, the lights didn't come on.

_A black out?_ He thought.

A flash of lightning brightened the room for a second and followed closed by with a loud rumbling thunder. Besides that, Rukawa unmistakably heard someone whimper not long later. He turned towards that sound and realized that it was coming out from the sport storeroom next to the basketball ball club changing room.

* * *

Almost an hour earlier… 

Iris walked out the school building in a hurry when she saw the sky was darker than usual. As soon as she stepped out the school gate, the rain poured so heavily, she dashed back indoor again.

"Damn… of all times…" Iris cursed and wringed her bloused dry. "Now I am going…"

Her sentence was cut shot when a clasp of thunder crashed loudly. Her eyes widened at the sudden loud clash. It startled her for a moment. However, the next thing that made her heart jumped out of her body was someone grabbed her from the back and covered her mouth so that she couldn't yell for help.

She couldn't even turn to see who the person was or who they were. She knew that there was more than one because they practically lifted her up her feet and was dragging her down the school corridor.

Before she knew what happened, they pushed her into a room with a musty smell. It looked like a storeroom that all sports equipment were kept. She landed on the hard floor on her side. Before she could take a look at who had dragged her to this place, the door was slam shut and she heard someone jamming the door from outside.

"HEY!" Iris cried and dashed forward towards the door. "WAIT!"

She grabbed the door and tried to open it. It wouldn't budge. Soon she banged the door with both her fists and shouted.

"IS ANYONE OUT THERE? LET ME OUT!"

Another flashed of lighting followed by the thunder had trip the electricity and the lights in the storeroom went out leaving Iris in darkness.

"Oh no…" Iris moaned in despair. "Not this… please don't do this to me."

She ran to the switch and tried flicking it, but the lights didn't turn on. She started shivering from head to foot and shook her head trying to deny that this was happening to her. She ran back to the door and continued pounding the door with her fists. This time she hit the door so hard the door shook from the impact. She didn't even care her hands were turning red and it was starting to ache. She just wanted to get out of the dark and cram looking room.

"PLEASE OPEN UP" Iris screamed more desperately now. "THIS IS NOT FUNNY ANYMORE!"

Only the stillness in the air outside the room greeted her. Everyone had left school at such late hours. That evening was just purely not her day. No one heed to her futile shouts and soon Iris sank to the floor with both her fists still on the door and her forehead resting flat on the door.

"This is not good…" She whispered to herself and almost in tears.

Not long later Iris began to cower towards the corner of the dark room and still shivering from the phobia of darkness.

"Damn…."

It always reminded her of that day…

* * *

Rukawa walked over to the storeroom slowly and saw that the door was jammed from the outside. Someone had deliberate put a broom to jam the door, so however was inside couldn't open it. Who would do such a petty thing? It sounded like whoever was inside was most properly crying or whimpering from fear. 

He took the broom away from the door and very gradually slid the door opened. The room was in total darkness because there weren't any windows. It didn't take him long to spot a small figure cowering in the corner of the room with her legs drawn up to her front, both her arms hugging her feet and her forehead resting on her knees.

Rukawa didn't even need to see who the person was. It was obvious it was that girl Chiro always liked to pick on, Sumire Kotori (Iris). It had been recently Chiro had been aiming her attention at her. Rukawa somewhat felt rather sorry for that girl before him now, who didn't look as brave as she always was. What happened?

Iris heard someone opening the door and she raised her head very steadily from her knees. She saw a silhouette of someone rather tall standing by the door and unmistakably looking at her. Judging from that figure Iris knew who it was too even though she couldn't see well from the darkness.

"Why are you crying?" Rukawa spoke finally after a short quiet moment passed.

After that question, Iris only felt tears falling from her eyes while she continued to stare at Rukawa while she shivered.

"I hate this…" Iris whispered. "Darkness… it…"

Rukawa walked over to her when he realized that that girl before him was too shaken up to move. With his strong hand, he bent over grabbed one of her arm and pulled her up to her feet swiftly. Iris almost stumbled at his sudden movements.

"There is still light in the gym." Rukawa replied rather monotone.

Without a word, Iris let Rukawa dragged her to the brightly lit gym. She could see a basket filled with basketball still inside the gym. The only thought to Iris was Rukawa may have stayed back to practice. For once in her life, she was so grateful that he did. She was hardly grateful for anything and she was rather surprised that Rukawa could make her this obliged.

Rukawa left Iris standing in the middle of the empty gym and he walked out. Now that Iris was in a brightly lit atmosphere, she felt so much better and she wasn't shivering as much as before. She looked up the windows of the gym and saw that the sky was still dark and rain was still falling heavily.

Iris sighed and went to the side of the gym sitting next to the basket of orange balls. She drew her feet up to her chin again and wrapped her arms around them. She just had to wait for the rain to subside before she could go home. After Rukawa had rescued her from the darkness, she thought he might have just left since he didn't come back to the gym, but somehow she was pretty wrong at that part when he walked into the gym again.

He was holding onto a clean white towel and two cans of drink in his hand. Iris snapped her head up when he returned. Without coming close to her, Rukawa just tossed a can of drink towards her and then the towel. Iris caught the can in both her hands but the towel somehow landed on her head and covered her view.

She pulled the towel away from her head in a huff and glared at him. Rukawa merely opened the other can he had with him and ignored her evidently. When she watched him sipped on his drink, she realized that he had bought a cold isotonic drink for himself to replenish for the sweat lost during practicing. The can she was holding felt rather warm. She looked down and saw that he had gotten her a can of hot coffee instead.

_Damn sugared drink… the calories…_ Iris thought to herself in dismay

However, a hot drink seemed like a good idea to her now. She was still slightly soaked from the rain and was feeling cold. She was stuck in that cold dark room for hell a long time. She needed to warm up.

Rukawa could be thoughtful at the time like this to bring her a hot drink. That was something Iris never thought Rukawa could do. According to some rumours and stories she had heard from Kotori's friend. He never really bothered or cared about anything else but basketball.

Iris sighed inwardly; maybe they didn't know him that well after all. The surface Rukawa may seem that way but he can be considerate at crucial times.

"You don't drink that?" Rukawa finally spoke after being silent for a long time.

He must be wondering why Iris didn't open the can but just staring at it the whole time. She doesn't drink coffee?

"Eh?" Iris looked up again in surprise. "Iie… it is just…"

Rukawa simply looked at her indifferently when Iris couldn't find anything to say to him. Finally she just shrugged and opened the can.

_Screw the calories… I won't die with some of it_, Iris thought silently. _But I will get pneumonia if I don't warm up soon._

"I do…" Iris smiled slightly though rather bitterly and looked away from him.

Rukawa remained silent.

"This is so stupid…" Iris continued to speak when she got no response from him. She still had her gaze somewhere else, not wanting to look at him pointedly. "I never thought anyone would come open the door for me until the next morning."

Still no reply from Rukawa.

"I was pretty surprised that you appeared."

Silence.

"But I am glad... it is rarely that I am pleased to see someone before… so…"

Iris moved her eyes slowly towards Rukawa to see if he was actually listening to her. She saw him staring anywhere but not her. She got irritated slightly to see that he was always so expressionless no matter what she say or do. What anyone say or do.

_What is with this guy?_ Iris thought to herself angrily.

"Anyway…" Iris frowned and continued in any case. "I just want to say… arigatou."

For a moment Rukawa flicked his eyes over to her.

She took a sip from the can in a nonchalant way. The coffee wasn't so bad after all. Finally, she didn't felt as cold as before. She then, looked up the windows again and saw the sky had cleared slightly.

"Ah, the rain had finally stopped," She said and stood up.

Rukawa just still remained silent as he watched collecting her things with that can of drink he got for her still in her hand. She turned to him then and smiled. He didn't return that smile and still remained the same indifferent and cold outlook while staring at her.

"I'll be going…" Iris ignored his expression and still smiled. "Thanks for the drink. Ja-ne… Rukawa-kun."

Rukawa watched her heading towards the exit doors and was rather amused that this girl never ceased to surprise him…

TBC

* * *

I guessed I updated faster than the previous chapter... I hope I get good response for this chapter like how I did for the previous chapter. I never thought anyone was following this story any more. I did stop it for a long time. I had to read the whole fic again to be able to continue too. I am glad there are still some readers who follows this fic.

Please do review. Please do tell me what you think... constructive flames are welcome.


	15. Cultural Festival Week

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SlamDunk or its characters.

Thanks you for all those you had reviewed and read this fic. I appreciate your support always.

Hope you enjoy this chapter...

**Chapter 15: Cultural Festival Week**

**(Iris Kanzaki in Shohoku High as Sumire Kotori)**

Most of the students in Shohoku High from first to third year were chattering excitedly all over the school building. Everyone was getting ready for their Cultural Festival and each class and clubs had their own events to get ready for the big week.

Rukawa walked by quietly through the mob of students in his compose self. Then out of the corner of his eyes he saw Kotori (Iris) among her group of her friends talking and laughing rather cheerfully. She looked so different compared to the time he saw her looking scared and horrified in that dark storeroom. Without acknowledging her, Rukawa walked on silently with a group of twittering girls behind him.

There was something in his head he kept thinking about. When someone had a phobia on a particular thing, it must meant that he or she had went through something terrible and carved a rather unforgettable memory into the person's brain. If it was for Sumire Kotori (Iris), did something happened to her when she was younger? Something might for someone like her to be afraid of something so small. She could be brave enough to pick up a life snake and toss it at Chiro's face. Even Rukawa get goosebums if he touches slimy and slithering things. But she could be afraid of the darkness?

Rukawa moved his eyes back to Kotori (Iris) for a second before he turned a corner and she disappeared from his view. This girl... what would she come up with to surprise him again? Somehow, it was also none of his business.

* * *

"Have you got any idea of what we can do for this competition?" Risha asked anxiously. "We only have one more week till the Cultural Festival arrives. The day of my competition is the first day of the festival! We don't really have much time…" 

"Well, have you tried Indian before?" Iris asked when she remembered Haru brought her to an Indian Restaurant for dinner one time. "It is something different and unique like you want. Then it is also hard to come by here since no one really has Indian around here…"

"That is a great idea!" Risha cried. "So far all contestants are doing something else like Italian and Western food. No one thought of about Indian yet! But do you know how to make Indian…"

"We can buy recipe books," Iris said rather uncertainly. "We also can go over to this Indian Restaurant to try how their dishes are like so we can cook them and see if they turn out right…"

"That is great!" Risha clapped her hands. "You can buy recipe books after school today and I go check out the restaurant."

"I'll bring Ha… I mean I'll bring my brother along too then." Iris smiled and winked. "He can be a big help."

_He better agree to help me…_ Iris moaned inwardly.

* * *

"Are you sure this is the right curry powder…" Iris looked at the packet in Haru's hand and then read a recipe book in her hand. "It says here we need chana (Bengal gram dal) to make Makhni Dal (Bean Paste that you deep Chappati and Naan with it) to go with Chappati and Naan…" (Indian sort of bread that looks like pancake) 

"I am making some other sauces that will go with Chappati and Naan…." Haru replied without looking at Iris and rather just reading the packet in his hand. "You don't need to only go with Dal when you eat Naan or Chappati. I am going to make Curry Fish paste too…"

"Oh…" Iris frowned and was getting rather confused.

"I don't understand why you agreed to help when you don't even know how to cook…" Haru shook his head agitatedly. "Then come up with something you don't even know what the hell it is or how to cook it…"

"I didn't agree… it was your sister that did!" Iris snapped.

"Ok, whatever…" Haru sighed and dropped the packet of curry powder into their cart that was now filled with materials to make an Indian Cuisine. "We can get Dal recipe over there."

After minutes passed, Haru and Iris finally took separate routes to make their shopping spree a little faster. It was almost time for dinner and they still haven't finish buying all the ingredients they needed.

Iris looked around the cold storage area for coconut milk, plain yogurt and some milk Haru told her to get. After that they will be on their way to get some chicken to make Tandoori (It could be chicken, meat or fish marinated spicy herbs bake in a clay oven.) Then also get some fish for the curry fish paste Haru was thinking of making.

"I wonder will this do." Iris whispered softly to herself with a carton of milk in her hand. "Damn, I'd never come grocery shopping before… how do I know what to get?"

"Here…" Someone next to her passed her another brand of milk.

"Eh?" Iris turned to see Rukawa next to her holding out a carton of milk towards her.

_Why is Rukawa here?_ Iris thought inwardly with her eyes wide staring at him.

* * *

Rukawa stopped by the grocery market before heading back home after his basketball practice. His parents told him that they were away that night and gave him some money to get dinner himself. He came in to the market to get some instant food for dinner when he saw Kotori (Iris) wondering around at the cold storage area. She looked like she was having a hard time which milk to get. 

_Doesn't everything taste the same?_ Rukawa wondered to himself.

Before he knew what he was doing, he strode over to her quietly…

* * *

"Thank you…" Iris took the carton of milk from him. "You like this one?" 

"My mum gets this…" Rukawa just shrugged.

"Ok…" Iris placed the carton of milk into the cart.

Rukawa glance through her cart and somewhat looked rather surprised to see that all ingredient in the cart were meant to make something that was not Japanese. What the hell was she trying to make?

"There you are!" Haru cried with more ingredients in his hand. "It is that hard to get some yogurt, fresh milk and coconut milk?"

"What are those?" Iris stared at the packets in Haru's hand.

_"_Pudina Chutney (Mint Chutney)," Haru said simply and dumb the ingredient into the cart. "It goes well with Naan…"

"There is more paste?" Iris almost groaned in dismay.

"It is your fault to choose this menu!" Haru fumed and then looked at Rukawa still standing next to Iris. "Your classmate?"

"Oh…" Iris turned back to Rukawa and smiled. "He is a schoolmate from the basketball team. He is Rukawa Kaede… I heard from my friends he is the best year one player in the team…"

"Ah that…" Haru grinned. "Oneechan always said that too many girls follow him around and even to the toilet."

"Haru!" Iris cried and reached out to knock his head but he dodged.

Then he was off ahead of them, laughing while he made his way to look for chicken and fish.

_I didn't say that… it must be the real Kotori who did,_ Iris thought horrified while she turned to see Rukawa's reaction. She saw none. _Right we are talking about the Expressionless Rukawa here…_

"I better go see what Haru is getting…" Iris grinned and grabbed the cart. "Anyways, Rukawa-kun why are you here?"

"Getting dinner," Rukawa replied shortly.

"You are eating alone today?" Iris looked at him with wide eyes.

He only shrugged and Iris felt rather glum that he had no one to be with during his dinner. She had grown up eating all meals herself after her father's death when she was only seven. Her mother was always away and she hated the quiet lonely house, if it is not for Remi to keep her company, she wondered if she would have grown up to be like Rukawa.

"They always go out, don't they?" Iris asked softly looking away so Rukawa couldn't see the sadness in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter; I am use to it…" Rukawa replied nonchalantly.

"Neh," Iris turned back to him with a grin. "If you don't mind being a guinea pig, do you want to come over for dinner? We are trying to make Indian today."

Rukawa raised an eyebrow slightly.

"If you don't have anything to do that is…" Iris smiled cheerfully.

"Do you pity me or something?" Rukawa frowned.

"Eh?" Iris in turned was slightly shocked at his statement.

"I don't need it." Rukawa snapped and turned away from her.

That was why he hated to get close to anyone; they always start to pity him. He hated them looking at him like that. Those eyes drive him up the wall. But he stopped in mid stride when Iris spoke.

"Why can't you take it as a thank you dinner for all you have done for me?"

Rukawa turned back slowly to her. She didn't get offended or miserable at how rudely he had turned her offer down. Instead she was standing next to the cart with a small smile on her face. She didn't look like she pitied him while she stood there watching him intently. It was more like a normal invitation to join her for dinner. That was when Rukawa realized one thing. This Kotori (Iris), she wasn't wearing her glasses like she always did. Somewhat, she looked better that way.

_Why the hell does she wear the glasses in school if she doesn't really need it?_ Rukawa thought in confusion.

"Anyways, if you like…" Iris said in a sing song voice before she turned and pushed the cart to look for her brother.

Rukawa pushed one of his hand into his pants pocket and the other hand holding onto a grocery basket. He didn't need to buy much so he just grabbed a basket before he came in. He looked down at the instant food he was going to have and then back at Iris. Having something different other that instant food sounded so much better.

"Whatever…" Rukawa sighed softly before he started walking towards Iris.

* * *

Their preparation for an Indian meal for dinner went rather eventful. Haru was trying to teach Iris how to cook while Rukawa watched them from the dinner table placed in the kitchen. There were so many yelling at one another Rukawa was rather amused that this two bothered to even cook if they had to go through so many troubles. 

"You were supposed to put them over there!" Haru shouted.

"I did!" Iris yelled back.

"What the hell is that?" Haru cried. "Is this how you de-bone the fish?"

"If you can do it better why didn't you do it!" Iris snapped.

"You are participating the competition… try to do better!"

"Moh… like I wanted to be in that competition!"

Rukawa watched them bicker quietly and wondered how their dinner was going to turn out. To his surprise it didn't turn out as bad as he thought it would be. Most of the dishes were done by Haru. It looked like he was a pretty good cook for a kid his age. Rukawa was pretty surprised that Kotori (Iris) wasn't as good as he was and to think she came from a catering family. She was supposed to be better than her own younger brother.

"Thanks for dinner today." Rukawa said when Iris sent him out her house. "Your brother is a good cook…"

"I did help too…" Iris frowned at his statement.

Rukawa remained silent and almost smiled at Iris pouting like a little girl. It was rarely he saw Iris at the cute side. She was always so daring and unyielding. To this Iris was really unusual and Rukawa found another side of Iris that no one had seen.

"Right…" Rukawa replied apathetically. "You did your best…"

Iris turned to him with wide eyes. It was obvious that she was surprised at the kind words that Rukawa had spoken to her. Was this the Rukawa Kaede that everyone spoke of? The quiet, calm, impassive and not to mention arrogant basketball player had said something thoughtful. But Iris got over her amazement pretty quickly and a sparkling smile appeared that brightened up her usual rather stern facial features.

"Hai…" She replied cheerfully.

In turned, it was Rukawa who's eyes widened slightly by surprise at the sight of that…

* * *

The first day of Cultural Festival in Shohoku High… 

"Hey look here…"

Iris turned to see three girls from Kotori's class in the corner reading a fashion magazine that she modeled for. She could see Kotori on the front cover of the magazine. She narrowed her eyes slightly. Even Kotori was imitating her but there was even a huge difference when they both post for photo shoots. It was seen clearly on the magazine.

"Iris had change this month don't you think?" One of the girl said looking through the magazine.

"Yeah, she used to have that posh and unsmiling appearance in her pictures." The second girl giggled. "That appearance gave her an aristocratic air around her."

"This month it is like a different Iris all together." The third say. "This Iris looked more vibrant and full of colour but she also has a rather humble outlook."

"That's right…" The other two agreed. "She is sure kawaii…"

Iris turned away from them left the class quietly. Two girls that look so identical but were so utterly different in all expects too. She smiled rather bitterly to herself. Was it because of the way they were brought up? One was brought up from a rather loving and caring average family. Then the other was brought up in a rather quiet and cold wealthy family.

"How paradoxical …" She whispered to herself. "A family that I can never have… huh…"

She was wretch out of her thoughts when Risha came running to her in a hurry.

"There you are Kotori-chan!" Risha cried anxiously. "The cooking competition is about to start in half an hour!"

"Oh…" Iris smiled apologetically. "Gomen… I was helping my class set up their café for the festival. I only just finished."

"Come on!" Risha pulled Iris along the corridor. "We will be late if we don't hurry!"

"Hai… hai…" Iris smiled uneasily.

* * *

After a tiring day passed for Iris… 

The wind was strong and the sun was setting from the horizon. The air was fresh and seagulls flew in a distance. Iris watched the darkening sky in silent and enjoying the cooling breeze that was blowing her hair gently.

The ground below was still filled with students from Shohoku High and some from other schools too that came to attend the festival. Stores that were put up by students were selling off their last goods before closing and they will have to get ready for the next day. Their school festival will last for the whole week.

The soft chirping of the seagulls in the distance put a vague smile on Iris lips. It was very seldom that she was able to enjoy the scenery of the sun setting in the horizon. The sky turning red and orange was actually rather beautiful. If only she wasn't so downcast, the scenery would look excellent. If she could draw and paint, she was sure this was one of the scenery would love to paint. However, her solitary atmosphere was ruined when she heard the door of the roof top creaked opened. She didn't turn to see who had come in. It was very obvious who came. Besides, it was his place in the beginning before she came and barge into his secret sleeping area.

"I heard…" Rukawa spoke behind her.

Iris turned her head slightly to look at him. He stood rather close behind her in his usual indifferent appearance. He was watching her rather intently like trying to read her inner thoughts. She turned away from his stare and sighed softly.

"We lost…" Iris spoke finally after a few seconds of stillness passed.

Her voice came out rather quiet and soft like she was whispering a secret that cannot be told.

"I can't cook…" Iris continued when Rukawa didn't say anything else since the time he spoke the two words to her when he came to her. "So it is no use."

Iris bent over slightly and rested her chin on her arms crossed on top of the rail. Her face was rather hard as she stared out the horizon. Even she had followed all Haru's instruction. In the end, she still couldn't do it. Risha was so devastated that she cried when their result came out. They didn't even get into the third place.

"You did your best…"

Iris straightened up when she heard Rukawa's nonchalant tone. She turned around fully to face him with wide eyes. There he did it again. Those kind words that Iris had never heard anyone said to her. She did try, even when she was modeling to be the best model so her mother would be proud of her. Her mother was the best model in Japan at her age. But never did her mother even look at her, no matter how hard she tried.

"Hai…" Iris finally truly smiled for the first time that day.

The sun setting had become more beautiful to Iris that evening…

* * *

The final day of the festival… 

It was the most frenzied week Iris had ever had in Shohoku High. Most of the time, when Shoyo High had their school festival week, she would have skipped school for the week saying that she have work to do. The school was informed about Iris irregular attendance for school due to her profession at such young age. The teachers in Shoyo High understand but they still try to make Iris care about her studies or at least get her to pass her exams.

But for being in Kotori's place, Iris knew that she can't skip out of school. Besides, Kotori seemed to have full attendance for school and she was always helping out her friends with a lot of matters. So during the week of the festival, Iris was being drag to and fro besides helping out her classmates with their café.

"Ice tea coming up!" Iris called writing down the order of some students who came in for lunch.

She was forced to wear a cute black waitress outfit that consists of a pink lacy apron and a matching pink frilly bonnet. She had refused firmly but the girls in class, ensnared her and changed her forcefully into the uniform. She was fuming for almost an hour. Nevertheless, when work started to flow in continuously, she had totally forgotten about what she was wearing.

"Ah, kawaii…." Someone said behind her.

Iris turned to see Mitsui and the basketball team had come in to her class café. She blanched when she saw them. Kogure was trying not to laugh out loud and Rukawa seemed to stare at her as if she was an alien from planet Mars. The others were all sniggering quietly except for Akagi who looked rather stern as usual.

"Ere…." Iris grinned rather sarcastically. "What can I do to help you all?"

"We just finish our basketball practice." Mitsui explained. "Since our club isn't doing anything special for the school festival, we decided to practice. We came for a break and lunch."

"Please have a seat over there…" Iris replied and ushered them to a large table to accommodate all of them. "Some cold drinks will be served as complimentary and here are our menus…"

"Arigatou…" Mitsui grinned and grabbed out a camera from his sports bag.

"I will kill you if you take a picture." Iris whispered to him and grabbed his arm to stop him from taking the camera out. "I am serious."

"Ere…" Mitsui said rather teasingly. "I wonder if that is how you talk to your customer."

Iris glared at him, straightened up, turned away sharply and stalked far away from them.

"I didn't know you are acquainted with Sumire-san." Kogure said to Mitsui when Iris was out of sight. "You both seemed rather close."

"Well, just say that we met each other at a party one time and we dance together." Mitsui winked and grinned. "I never knew she could dance so well for a clumsy girl."

"Dance?" Rukawa looked over to Mitsui.

Everyone turned to Rukawa in surprised to hear him speak. Even Akagi was staring at him with wide eyes. Did they hear wrong? But when they saw Rukawa watching Mitsui rather attentively while waiting for him to continue, they knew that they didn't. Why was Rukawa so interested whether if Mitsui did dance with Kotori (Iris) or not. When Rukawa didn't get an answer from Mitsui he just turned away and resumed back to his quiet and remote self.

"She was taking a break from the party and I was alone…" Mitsui finally explained still looking at Rukawa in surprise. "So I asked her if she wanted to dance. She looked bored and I was too… she agreed without hesitation."

There was a flicker of something in Rukawa's eyes but it only last for a second and Mitsui was wondering if he imagined that. Gradually, Mitsui turned away and seek out for the person everyone was so fascinated at. She was currently serving another table now. This person they saw who had changed so much in that month had also attracted the attention of their ice prince of the school.

_How interesting…_ Mitsui smiled to himself.

* * *

The evening of the last day of the festival and Iris finally gotten some time to relax on the roof top. She sat down on the ground in a rather unfeminine way. 

"Tage, I can't believe they made me wear this!" Iris heaved a sigh and pulled out the pink frilly bonnet from her head. "It is a good thing today is the last day!"

Iris was speaking to herself when another figure joined her at the roof top. She turned to see Rukawa had come again. That evening she smiled at him when he approached and sat down not far from her with his legs cross, whereas Iris had both her legs stretched out in front of her.

"Don't say anything about my uniform." Iris quickly said when Rukawa was looking at what she was wearing. "I was forced into it this morning."

Iris pouted again and looked up the sky but not for long. Soon she turned back to Rukawa with a small frown on her face.

"You know," Iris continued when Rukawa didn't say anything. "You should have seen those girls grabbing me and dragging me to the changing room. I was retaliating all the way. I struggled so hard but there were like five girls against one!"

Iris sighed again after that and place both hands flat on the ground slightly behind to support her body and returned her gaze up the sky again.

"So I lost…" Iris looked rather solemn as if she was thinking of something serious. "They even took off my uniform and change me into this outfit. I never knew girls could be so scary when they wanted something their way."

"You can say that again." Rukawa sighed softly too.

Iris moved her eyes back to Rukawa to see him looking the opposite direction and was rather absorbed in his thinking. Iris smiled and turned her attention back to the darkening azure sky. No one could understand better than Rukawa when it comes to scary girls. He was followed by thousands of them everyday in school.

Shortly later, music from the lower ground could be heard when the sun had set. Iris stood up and headed over the rail. Students were gathering and they were heading for the brightly lit field. Some students were already dancing and some were looking for their partners. Iris smiled and turned back to Rukawa.

"Aren't you going to dance?" Iris asked.

Rukawa didn't answer and just merely ignored her.

"You don't know how to dance Rukawa-kun?" Iris asked walking up to him and sat down again.

"Does it matter?" Rukawa asked her back without looking at her.

"No…" Iris smiled rather impishly and stood up abruptly almost startling Rukawa. "However, I am just suddenly in a good mood that is all."

Rukawa raised an eyebrow and knew that Iris was planning something he didn't like. What he didn't expect was for Iris to grab his hand and pull him up to his feet.

"Let me teach you then." Iris grinned.

"Hey," Rukawa frowned. "Wait… I didn't…"

"It is easy…" Iris smiled and placed Rukawa's hands in all the right position before she started leading him. "Besides, if you don't know how to dance, how are you going to ask the girl you like to dance the next time?"

Rukawa remained silent. He only came up here for some peace and quiet. Besides, he would have gone home after his basketball practice but it seemed like a bunch of girls were waiting for him at the front gate and also the back gate of the school. He knew they were all eager to dance with him at their final event of the festival. He came up to the roof top to buy some time and avoid those girls. He didn't expect this from Kotori (Iris).

"You know I came here to avoid dancing…" Rukawa told her rather agitatedly.

"Nanda…" Iris grinned. "You avoid it because you don't know how to, after I teach you how to, you don't have to anymore right."

Rukawa didn't answer to that and just followed Iris on her dance steps without difficulty.

"Uwah… you are a rather fast learner!" Iris smiled up at him. "Besides you are tall too, you make a really beautiful dancer."

"That is something guys don't like hearing." Rukawa almost snorted at her statement.

"Party pooper," Iris pouted. "I was complimenting you. You should try to be a little bit more cheerful you know, Rukawa-kun."

"I find it unnecessary." He replied indifferently

"Can't you be more expressive?" Iris frowned. "No one will know whether you like it or not. If you always stay like someone had freeze your face, like this."

She mimicked his expressionless face while Rukawa stared at her with wide eyes. She looked rather funny and Rukawa knew he didn't look funny like that.

"You are messing up my facial features." Rukawa said apathetically and she just laughed.

Iris could joke around too if she wanted too. She looked so much livelier when she laughed than always pulling that stern exterior. Soon their dance was interrupted when a loud crash was heard above the sky and followed by the dark sky brightening up with colours. Rukawa looked up to see that the student council had finally set off the firecrackers that they had planned for the final evening of the school festival. One after another firecrackers were let off filling the sky with beautiful colours.

"Ah… firecrackers!" Iris said also turning her attention towards the sky.

They had stopped dancing, though still in dancing position. He turned back to Iris and saw her watching the firecrackers with a huge smile on her face.

Rukawa watched her cheerful self like a little girl enjoying her tidbit. Then, even Rukawa couldn't even remember when, he smiled. But Iris of course never knew Rukawa was someone who never smiles…

TBC

* * *

OK after this two chapters I had put up very quickly of Iris Kanzaki. The next chapter coming up will be about Sumire Kotori in Shoyo High and how she was getting along with Fujima Kenji. 

Till next chapter... pls review.


	16. Misunderstanding

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SlamDunk or its characters.

Thank you so much for everyone's supports and encourangements. I really appreciate the reviews I got and to let me know how this fic is progressing. I am trying to update this as often as I can so I can finished this fic as soon as possible. After dragging this fic for such a long time, I don't intend to keep it hanging any longer. I am very glad to know there are still readers who follows this after I stopped this fic for such a long time. Thank you so much for you contants support.

Special thanks to Jace, who took her time to beta read this chapter for me and made this chapter so much better to read. All the hard work and credit goes to her. Honto arigatou...

Those in_ Italic_ are thoughts.

Do enjoy this chapter...

**Chapter 16: Misunderstanding…**

Kotori felt rather lonesome while she walked towards Iris's class that morning in Shoyo High. She didn't get along with Iris's friends at all and she had been solitary for the past weeks. Now that she had some troubling thoughts about what happened during the party with Fujima, she had no one to consult with.

Kotori sighed softly in class while she was caught in the daydream. She jolted from her position when that image came into her head again. It had been happening so many times she was starting to get more and more uncomfortable. It was also happening in class and lately she couldn't really concentrate.

She was now sitting in an English class and she hadn't even listen to a single word the teacher had been saying since the class began. This was not good at all.

"Kanzaki-san…"

Kotori looked troubled while staring blankly at her book in front of her.

"Kansaki-san…"

There was still no answer from Kotori.

"Hey…" Someone from her back whispered to her and jabbed her with the top of the mechanical pencil. "Kanzaki…"

"Welcome! Please wait to be seated!" Kotori exclaimed as she stood up abruptly.

Everyone started sniggering softly and she turned bright red. Damn, she just recited a welcoming phrase to her restaurant.

"It looks like you haven't really been listening to my class Kanzaki-san." The teacher said sternly. "Lately this month you had been a real good student. I am very surprised at you today."

"Gomen…" Kotori looked down slightly abashed.

"Try translating page 54." The sensei continued regardless.

"Hai…" Kotori picked up the book and turned to the page.

She relaxed slightly when she found that those English sentences the teacher wanted translated were easy for her. She did it without any difficulty…

"Kanzaki-san, I want you to bring these notes over to the second year class group 5." The sensei said after class. "This is your punishment for not listening in my class. You are lucky I am not giving you extra homework."

"Hai…" Kotori agreed rather reluctantly.

It was almost the end of school hours and she was having self learning the next lesson. Usually a teacher would come to assist them, but they usually didn't really care and let the students do whatever they want. Those who were studious would do their homework and study. Some who were not into studying would be chatting in the corner or playing games. Kotori didn't mind missing this lesson and took her time to walk over to the year two corridor. She was glad that it wasn't the third year corridor. She had been avoiding Fujima after that day. She didn't know how to act if they met.

"We are not really going out…" Kotori whispered to herself. "To suddenly kiss me like that…." Kotori paused and shook her head vigorously. "This must stop…. My daydreams are getting out of hand!"

Being so absorbed in her own thoughts, she didn't watch where she was heading as she was walking up the stairs. As a result, she head butted someone at the top of the stairs. She dropped all her notes and before she knew it, she was falling backwards.

"Eh…" Kotori uttered without screaming.

She closed her eyes waiting for the hard floor to make contact with her body but it never came. Instead she felt someone heave a sigh of relief next to her, as warm breath caressed her right cheek softly. She opened her eyes and saw the face of a boy very close to hers. He had one arm wrapped around her waist to stop her from falling back. She knew him…

"Botan-sempai…" Kotori whispered. "Gomen…"

"Eh… Kanzaki-san?" Botan Hikari blinked when he looked down at the petite girl in his arm. "Daijobou?" (This OC character from Chapter 6 Tennis and Baseball Practice)

Kotori was still staring at him with widened eyes. He must be really strong to be able to lift her up slightly with one hand. Her feet didn't touch the floor while he raised her body towards his. He didn't look at her for long as he shifted his gaze to something behind her. She turned back and saw all the notes and books that she was supposed to carry to year two group five class scattered everywhere on the stairs.

"That is not good…" Kotori nearly groaned while Botan placed her on the floor gently next to him.

"Let me help you." Botan smiled.

"Arigatou…" Kotori smiled in return. "We will be having practice after school, won't we?"

"Hai," Botan nodded. "I am really glad that we were able to recruit you into the team."

"Iie… I'm glad that I was accepted." Kotori blushed slightly.

"Today will be your first practice?" Botan asked.

"Hai, I wasn't able to attend the past practices because of work, gomen-ne." Kotori said rather regrettably. "I am hoping that nothing comes up again today."

"Don't worry about it." Botan grinned. "I am sure you still possess excellent skills!"

"That is no good!" Kotori exclaimed. "Even the best player will become rusty if he doesn't practice!"

Botan remained silent, watching her for a moment and then gradually his smile returned.

"I guess…" He said softly.

Kotori hurriedly gathered all the notes while Botan helped her.

"Where are you taking this?" Botan asked after they had picked all the papers and books up. He had some in his hands too and made no move to give it to her.

"Oh… er…" Kotori thought for a moment before she answered. "Year two Group Five."

"That is my class," Botan grinned. "Let me lead you there."

"Arigatou." Kotori nodded.

On the way to his class, Kotori realized that some students who were lingering around the corridor outside their classes turned to look at Botan as they walked by. Those students were predominantly girls. They giggled while he passed them. Kotori raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at him. She blushed at what she saw.

Botan seemed so much taller than she knew. He looked tan, maybe because of all the time he spent playing baseball in the field out in the hot sun. Without wearing the baseball cap like the first time they met, he had rather dark brown hair that fell over his eyes, giving him a rather handsome and rugged look. She stiffened slightly and looked away quickly.

_If I had noticed that when he held me earlier, I think my face would be like a ripened tomato…_ Kotori thought to herself quietly.

"Botan-kun…" A group of girls ran up to him suddenly even before they could reach his class.

Kotori quickly stepped aside. She was always afraid of groups of girls like this. She could not help but be reminded of Rukawa's fan girls, H.A.G. Botan just smiled politely at the girls before him unlike Rukawa who always looked at his fan girls indifferently.

"We did home cooking today." One of the girls from the group said excitedly. "I baked chocolate cake and sensei said it was good. Please accept this."

"I baked cheese cake." Another girl protested. "I did really well too!"

"Please wait, I have…"

Kotori watched from the side with widened eyes and starting to feel uneasy. When Botan didn't answer the girls, they started to realize Kotori standing at the side quietly and they glared at her. Kotori began to sweat drop and smiled nervously.

"Ha… ha… ha…" Kotori laughed fretfully. "Looks like I better be going."

She stepped forward quickly and took all the notes and books from Botan. Without waiting for him to answer, she turned and fled.

"Eh… wait Kanzaki-san…" Botan begin but Kotori was already dashing down the corridor.

"Botan-kun…" The girls stopped him from moving.

He turned back to them and continued to smile courteously…

_Jeez…_ Kotori thought to herself anxiously_. They have girls like this here too. I never see any girls follow Fujima much and I thought that they never really exist here._

Kotori finally reached Year Two Group Five class. She looked in to see some boys and girls inside chattering and no one bothered to even see who had come by. Kotori only shrugged and walked in. She placed all the notes and books on the table. Then she smiled to herself at her accomplished task. It was time for her to head back to class again.

_Come to think about it… I never really see Fujima with other girls_… Kotori thought to herself. _But I would never know because they might be the girls from the third year._

Kotori made her way back to her year one corridor, her mind still filled with thoughts of Fujima. After that night, it was pretty difficult for her to forget. Since they didn't officially said that they would be dating, she wasn't sure what she was to Fujima. She felt rather confused with all these thoughts and sighed out loud.

_This is not good… I am thinking too much…_

She brushed her hair back gently. How she hated long hair, if only she could tie them back. But Iris always left her hair down. She continued to walk towards the year one corridor silently. However on her way to her class, Kotori couldn't help but see two students, a boy and girl probably older than her standing in an isolated area of the corridor. The boy had his back to her, but Kotori was very certain he was Fujima. She blinked and watched those two silently. She wondered what they were up to.

When the girl before Fujima flung her arms around his neck, Kotori's eyes widened and colour drained her face. Involuntarily, her hands started to shake and hot tears blurred her vision. After staring at the heartbreaking scene, a small derisive smile formed on her lips.

"So this is how it is…" She said softly to herself. To think he didn't have girls around him, she must be lying to herself.

Drying the tears from her eyes, Kotori turned away and walked off slowly. She didn't notice Fujima turn around and see her departing feature. She didn't see him pulling away from the girl and was starting to move towards her but was by stopped by the girl…

* * *

After school, Kotori attended the baseball practice like she hoped she could. It had been some time since she was able to play in the field like this. She felt like she needed a break from Iris's life for now. Playing baseball here in the Shoyo High school field made her remember who she really was. She whacked the ball with all her might with the bat in her hand. 

She breathed and a small sad smiled appeared. She felt so much better after that. The ball she hit sailed high through the air. She didn't lose touch with what she had and she was glad.

"UWAH!" One of the girls in the team shouted. "HOMERUN!"

Kotori grinned and flashed a victory 'V' sign.

"Not bad Kanzaki-san." Botan came over to her.

"Thanks…" Kotori smiled.

"You ran off so quickly earlier, I was wondering if you were alright."

"Sorry, I am not very comfortable with those girls around you."

Botan laughed. "And you are a girl?"

"They just remind me…" Kotori said but stopped herself in time. She almost told him about Rukawa's fan girls. "Never mind…"

Botan blinked and looked at Kotori carefully. She didn't seem as cheerful as when he saw her earlier during school hours. Did something happen? Even though she did a pretty good job of trying to cover it, Botan saw through it.

"Let's try another hit!" Kotori shouted to the pitcher. "Put more force in this one."

Botan started to back away from her when she was ready to take the hit.

"Hey Botan, aren't you practicing?" The boys from his team shouted.

"Of course, I am coming." Botan shouted and ran over to them.

While he ran, he turned back to Kotori to see her ready in position with the bat up, waiting for the ball and her intense look of concentration. Not knowing what was bothering her, he turned away and continued with his practice. He was starting to be slightly concerned about her.

Kotori made another few more homeruns before she stopped and turned over to the boys who were also practicing baseball. Botan was among the boys and he was the pitcher. According to the girls from the team, Botan was the best player pitcher and hitter for the boys' team, which was why many girls were attracted to him. Everyday when they practiced, his fan girls never missed coming to see him practice.

When Kotori observed the way he pitched she understood what the girls meant. No one had that kind of speed that sent the ball flying over to the hitter. Even the hitter couldn't make it to take that ball. The girls told Kotori that so far no one, not even the captain, could really take his pitch. She smiled when a thought came across her.

"Ano…" Kotori walked over to them.

* * *

Fujima couldn't really concentrate on his practice and it was the first time he felt so screwed up. He couldn't forget the departing figure of Iris (Kotori) while she walked away from him. He wondered if she saw what happened. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw her crying which might mean that she did. When he finally got away from the girl, he went searching for her and couldn't find her anywhere. He assumed that she may have already gotten back to class since it was still class time. 

After school, he couldn't find her anywhere and it was time for his basketball practice. With no other choice, he went to the gym with his teammates to start training. When he still couldn't concentrate on the training, Hanagata told everyone to take a break.

"Are you alright Kenji?" Hanagata asked when he saw that their captain and ace player wasn't himself.

"Yeah…" Fujima just answered simply. "I am going out for some fresh air."

Fujima stepped out the gym and headed towards the field where the baseball practice always did their training. He stopped somewhere near the fence and looked in. It didn't take long for him to spot Iris (Kotori) in the crowd. She was positioned as batter waiting for a boy to make the pitch. Even though Fujima wasn't very sure about the baseball team, he did hear about a best player in the second year in the boys' team. He wondered if that pitcher was that boy he had heard many girls speak of.

Kotori didn't manage to hit the first pitch but she got the second one. However, that hit was a foul hit. Then she tried the third one. She got in clean but didn't hit a homerun like she always did. Even though she didn't, Fujima could see the happy look on her after that hit. The girls from her team ran to her cheering too. Fujima turned away from the scene. It hurt, to see her acting so normally like nothing had happened….

* * *

"I can't believe you got my pitch." Botan said rather in awe. "And a girl that is." 

"Don't underestimate girls, Botan-sempai." Kotori chuckled softly.

Both of them headed towards the water fountain to get some water. Kotori bent over to the tap to get a drink of water and was glad when the cooling water touched her lips. She was unaware that Botan was watching every move she made intently. When she realized his intense gaze, she straightened and stared at him.

"Is something wrong, Botan-sempai?"

He didn't reply and smiled softly. Slowly he raised his hand and placed his hand on her damp lips. Kotori got a surprise and stepped back from him.

_Eh… what… eh?_ Her mind was in confusion and panic.

"Water is dripping off your chin." Botan told her.

"Oh…" Kotori felt rather stupid suddenly and was about to smile when she spotted Fujima not far off from them.

Her eyes widened in alarm when she saw him glaring at the both of them. Botan also turned around when he noticed Kotori staring at someone behind him. When he saw who she was looking at, Botan frowned slightly. Was something going on with between these two people?

"I need to talk to you, Kanzaki-san." Fujima said rather harshly.

Without waiting for her to answer, he took her hand and dragged her off. When Botan was nowhere in sight, Fujima stopped and dropped Kotori's hand. They were standing at the back building of the school and usually very few students walked by, so the place was deserted. He had his back to her and she couldn't see what his reaction was.

"Fujima, I am still in the middle of prac…"

Fujima turned around to face her furiously which startled Kotori and made her back away towards the wall of the school building. Fujima slammed both his hands on the wall behind her, trapping her in between. Kotori could only stare at him with wide and frightened eyes.

"Fujima…?" She had never seen him like this before.

"That guy, who is he to you?" Fujima asked heatedly.

"He is… he is a teammate…" Kotori stammered slightly while answering.

"I know I was wrong to let that girl hug me." Fujima continued. "But to move on to another guy so soon… I never thought you were that type, Iris…"

Kotori's eyes widened more at that name.

"You didn't even let me explain…" Fujima said rather dejectedly.

"It's ok…" Kotori looked down the ground. "It's already enough…"

"Iris…" Fujima frowned apprehensively when Kotori didn't look up and her bangs hid her expression from him. "What do you mean…?"

Kotori almost laughed bitterly when Fujima continued to call her by that name. She shook her head slightly. She was almost on the verge of crying. Fujima lowered his hands from the wall and stepped back slightly.

"I don't blame you." Kotori said to him softly. She still had her head down. "The bad person here is me…"

"What are you talking about, Iris?" Fujima was beginning to panic at her weird behaviour.

"We are just not met to be…" Kotori continued.

"Are you telling me that you and that guy are met to be together then?" Fujima flared. "After that night at your party I thought you and I…"

"Iie…" Kotori shook her head and the tears that she held back started to fall, dropping down her chin. "It's not what I meant… it is just that… we can't…"

She looked up slowly and Fujima almost crumpled up at her expression.

"I don't understand…" Fujima watched her tearful face that almost wrenched his heart.

"You will soon." Kotori answered. "When that time comes… you will. Then you will know that the bad person is me. I have been deceiving you all these while…"

"Deceiving?" Fujima was even more confused now. He knew that she wasn't talking about that boy earlier. But what was she trying to say?

"I have to go…" Kotori said and turned away. "Gomen…"

Fujima didn't stop her when she walked off. He was still trying to figure out what Iris (Kotori) was trying to tell him. He clutched his hands at his side and frowned.

"After making me fall for you," Fujima said heatedly. "Do you think I will give up so easily?

Without the both of them realizing, Botan stood not far from them. He was leaning on one of the walls of the school building with his arms crossed in front of him. He was near enough to hear their conversation but not near for them to spot him. He wondered what that was all about. Even though he was starting to be attracted to this girl, he felt rather strange that the Kanzaki Iris could be so different this month…

TBC

* * *

How did this chapter went? Thanks for reading and please do drop a review. 


	17. Trying to Mend Issues

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SlamDunk or any of its characters.

Thanks for everyone who had reviewed and reading this fic.

And special thanks to Jace who had been beta reading for me. All credits and improvements goes to her.

**Chapter 17: Trying to Mend Issue**

**(Sumire Kotori in Shoyo High as Kanzaki Iris)**

_Damn it…_ Kotori frowned while she walked through the throng of students along the year one corridor. _I should have stayed clear from everyone and my feelings… stupid feelings… stupid Sumire Kotori; _she kept scolding herself in her head.

Ever since she had come into Iris' life, with her endless days of posing in front of the camera and always learning how to strut in the way models does, she had been less careless and clumsy lately. Hence, she was able to make her way through the crowd swiftly without difficulty with her head held high. Anyone close to her would have been able to see the changes in her, but because she wasn't aware of it, the air of innocence was still around her. She walked like a super model through the mop of students. Most boys turned to look at her while she passed but Kotori was oblivious to that.

Since she had been falling less on her face during that month, Kotori had managed to go to class without tripping or fumbling with her things. But she stopped short when she saw Fujima waiting outside her class for her. The frown on her face deepened. Many girls from her class were fussing around him but he paid no attention to them.

Without hesitating, Kotori turned around and walked away from her class.

_Just skip it… besides that is what Iris always does anyways._ Kotori thought furiously.

She was trying to sort out her feelings and she had thought about it the whole night. After tossing and turning for the hundredth time, she finally given up trying to sleep. Due to the lack of sleep, she was in an extremely bad mood. It's best to avoid issues that were associated with Fujima for now. She was afraid she would explode any minute and blurt out their secret.

The last bell rang, indicating classes to begin. The corridors were getting empty and students were rushing to their classes except for Kotori. She turned the corner and headed out of the school building. She had heard from Iris's friends about their secret hiding place and she was heading over to it. Even though throughout the month, she didn't get along with Iris's friends very well, they still did talk sometimes during classes.

After walking for almost five minutes in hurried strides, an old building from the far back of the school came to view. That building had been left abandoned for almost a year. The school principal was thinking of changing this building into another recreation building for the students' extra curricular purposes. The construction would not begin until maybe another year later.

Kotori walked into the building and headed into one of the old classroom. She could see that most of the chairs and tables that were still inside were still almost in good condition. She couldn't understand rich people sometimes. She sat down on one of the chair, folded her arms on the table in front of her and placed her head down in her arms. She needed some peace and quiet to sort through her thoughts…

* * *

Fujima wasn't very happy when Iris (Kotori) didn't turn up that morning. He had waited for her in front of her class. The bell had rung and still she didn't appear. He was making his way back to his class when he heard some year one girls talking. 

"Was that Kanzaki?" One of them said.

"Yeah, I think so…"

"It's so sudden, to see Kanzaki skipping class again…" One of them laughed.

"Yeah, she has been such goody two shoes this month…"

Fujima turned to them abruptly when he heard her name. He stopped the surprised girls but when they saw that it was Fujima, they blushed.

"You said you saw Kanzaki Iris?" He asked urgently.

"Er… yeah…" One of the girls stammered and was slightly flustered.

"Did you see where she went?"

The girls shook their head and Fujima's face fell.

"Domo…" He said softly and walked off.

Why was she avoiding him? When he finally found her, Fujima would be sure never to let her out of his sight again…

* * *

It never occurred to Kotori that she could have slept so peacefully in an abandoned building. When she was awakened by some weird noises, she jerked her head up from the table. She looked around the empty class with wide eyes and wondered how long she had fallen asleep in the building. After seeing the time on her wrist watch, Kotori realized that she had skipped almost all her morning classes. 

With a deep breath, she rose from the seat and pushed the chair back, making scrapping noises. It echoed through the empty building giving Kotori an unsettled feeling. When she first stepped into this place by herself, it didn't seem as scary. But now, after she took a rest and her head was clearer, the whole place seemed rather eerie to her.

Without waiting anymore, Kotori headed towards the door and was about to dash out of the building when she crashed into someone. The collision was rather intense that Kotori went flying backwards and landed rather painfully on her posterior. When she looked up to see who she had crashed into, her face turned as white as paper at the sight of one of the notorious gangs from Shoyo High. She knew of them because they were famous in school.

"Hey, aren't you that model girl?" One of them said.

"Sorry I have to go…" Kotori mumbled while she got up on her feet swiftly. "Excuse me…"

Before she could move past them, the boy in front grabbed her.

"Why don't you stay longer?" He asked rather impudently.

If it was the Kotori of the past, she would cower and shiver. But today, Kotori just wasn't in the mood for all of this. She was still in a pretty bad mood because she didn't sleep that well. Even though she got her rest in the deserted classroom, it was still not enough for Sumire Kotori who always had difficulty in waking up in the mornings and sleeping was something of great importance to her.

"Please let go of me…" Kotori turned to glare at him.

"Come on, you came here to skip class and to have fun." The guy leaned down closer to her. She backed away from him quickly. "Come have fun with us."

"You are mistaken…" Kotori was still staring at him furiously. "I didn't come here to have any fun. Now let go…"

"Ouch, a killer bitch…" One of the boys in the gang teased.

"I SAID LET GO…" Kotori shouted this time when that boy didn't loosen his grip around her arm.

"She did say let go…" Someone said behind the group of boys.

Everyone turned to see Botan standing slightly behind them. He was leaning on the wall, watching them casually with his hands in his pants pockets. He smirked slightly at the boys when he saw their surprised look. Kotori didn't waste anytime and hit the boy before her with all her might.

"Itai…" The boy shouted and let go of her.

In turn, Botan was surprised at Kotori's sudden attack. She dashed passed the boys quickly, grabbed Botan's hand and dashed towards the exit of the building.

"Hurry before they come after us!" Kotori cried without looking back.

Since she was in the baseball team in Shohoku High and also one of the best female players, she was a rather fast runner and pretty strong with her arms to be able to always hit a homerun in matches. They left the abandoned building hastily and only stopped when they were in the front doors of the main building. Kotori finally let go of his hand when they stopped running, even though Botan was rather reluctant to let go of her.

"That was a good hit…" Botan grinned when they both were catching their breath.

Kotori grinned and gave him a thumb up sign. She was still breathing rather heavily after her sprint. It had been sometime since she trained on her stamina. It wasn't very pleasant to know that she lost her energy so soon after such a short sprint. Kotori promised herself to work hard on her strength again when she get back to Shohoku High. She was counting on her scholarship to Kanagawa University. To get that, she had to be good in one of the sports in school too. She couldn't fail on that.

"Anyway, what are you doing in that old building?" Kotori asked.

"That should be my question…" Botan replied.

"That is what Iri… I mean…" Kotori stumbled in her speech when she almost slipped out and said that the building was Iris and her friend's secret hiding place. "Never mind. I go there sometimes with my friends when we don't feel like going to class."

"So you didn't feel like going to class today?" Botan looked rather concerned. "Is something bothering you?"

"No…" Kotori smiled slightly. "So why were you there?"

Botan remained silent for a moment as if he was thinking through his thoughts. After a minute passed, he finally spoke.

"Just skipping class too."

Kotori stared at him with wide eyes as if she was rather doubtful at what he had said. But they both burst out laughing soon after; oblivious that someone was watching them in the corner. Fujima remained silent and rather depressed to see them both together again.

* * *

Earlier that morning when Kotori made her way to the abandoned building… 

Botan was looking rather bored while sat in his class on his place near the window. His class windows always gave him the view of the old building at the back of the school. It was rather dull scenery but somehow that morning, the sight of a certain female student making her way towards it got Botan's attention. He got up from his seat quickly and made his way out of the class.

"Hey Botan, class is about to begin," One of his classmates shouted at him. "Where are you going?"

Botan never answered and left the class swiftly. It didn't take him long to reach that abandoned place. When he got inside, he checked out the classes to see if she (he meant Kotori in Iris' place, of course) was in any of it. He found her in a classroom at the far end of the building.

Botan looked in at her to see her snoozing on the desk. She had no idea whatsoever that anyone had come in. He walked in towards her and looked down at her sleeping form. She looked like she was in quite a deep sleep. He lifted his hand and brushed her soft hair gently.

"It is so obvious that you are troubled about Fujima-sempai." Botan said softly to her sleeping form. "But it doesn't mean I am going to just let you go."

He watched her, not moving and very gradually, he bended over her. When his face was inches apart from hers, he closed his eyes slowly and kissed her gently next to her lips.

"Maybe…" He whispered to her with their faces still close to one another. "Maybe… I can change your heart…"

Botan straightened up and touched his own lips which had made contact with Kotori's soft and warm skin. He frowned slightly when she didn't wake up and finally he settled down on a seat next to hers. He knew that this building was rather well known for some gangs in school to hang out during classes. For someone like her to be such a deep sleeper, it could be dangerous if anyone comes to find her in a vulnerable state. So he decided to stay until she woke up.

However, after almost all morning classes were over, she finally stirred when some pretty loud noises were heard in the building. Botan couldn't tell her how he had watched over her, stood up to leave the class. Even though he left, he watched her from afar to make sure she left that building safely. He only appeared again when she had met with trouble…

Somehow, he couldn't tell her what happened when she asked.

* * *

Fujima stood casually next to the year two corridor after school. That afternoon, most of his basketball players couldn't make it for practice due to extra classes after school. So the practice was postponed till later that evening until they finished their classes. When Botan came into view, he straightened up and stood before him. 

Botan was rather surprised to see Fujima confronting him right now. It was rather a strange sight to see the best player from the baseball team and the other from the basketball team to meet like this. They did attract the attention of some students that passed by, but none of them dared to stop to watch their dispute when they saw both of them were about to kill one another.

"It is a good thing that you can attend practices more often, Kanzaki-san." One of the girls from the baseball team said. "We are very glad to have you."

"Arigatou," Kotori smiled at her. "I am supposed to be the one happy that you all can recruit me last minute."

"Iie…" The girl smiled.

But her smile wilted almost instantly when she stared at someone behind Kotori. Kotori turned around and her eyes widened with horror…

* * *

Meanwhile, at the year two corridor… 

"If you say that you don't want to give up," Botan smirked slightly. "You better keep Kanzaki-san close to you."

"Stay away from Iris, Botan-san." Fujima said furiously. "Even though I know you and Iris are teammates, you are very obviously hitting on her."

"She never said that she has a boyfriend." Botan replied nonchalantly. "Besides, if you could just assume that you are, Fujima-sempai, you are totally mistaken."

Fujima remained silent. He knew that he slipped up. He never confessed how much he wanted her to be with him. He never said anything or asked her to go out with him. Anyone would be confused in this situation. She must be even more confused and frustrated after that kiss he gave her that night. Fujima almost cursed himself on making such an obvious mistake.

"I never did say I am giving up even though that…" Fujima gritted his teeth in anger.

"Then that makes the both of us…" Botan smiled with such confidence that made Fujima seethe further.

Their conversation was somewhat interrupted when a year one student from the baseball team came running down towards them frantically. They both turned to her, stunned at how pale she looked.

"Botan-sempai!" She cried. "Kanzaki-san… Kanzaki-san… she…"

"What happened?" Both the boys exclaimed at the same time.

* * *

Kotori was slammed back on the hard cold wall of the school building. Those boys she had met earlier that day had taken her to the deserted part of the school. Even though she was in such a situation, Kotori was rather surprised that for the first time in her life; she didn't feel fear but anger. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Kotori shouted at them.

"How can you still be so confident when we had taken you to such a remote area of the school." one of them mocked. "Don't you know that no one will come to save you?"

"I had enough of this for one day." Kotori raged and started to stalk away. "Just leave me alone!"

"Oh no, you don't…" The boy nearest to her grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "We are not letting you go."

"Don't you know that you will get into serious trouble for this?" Kotori said between gritted teeth. "If you do anything…"

The boys laughed and took out a camera.

"You can still talk big," The boys scoffed. "After we take some nude pictures of you, I wonder if you are able to still."

Kotori blanched slightly and back away from them. Her frown deepened and she hugged herself tightly. Iris would kill her if she knew that these guys had taken nude pictures of her, thinking that she was Iris Kanzaki and blackmail her into doing things that she wouldn't want to think of.

"You wouldn't even try…" Kotori stammered slightly. "Iri… I mean… if you even lay a finger on me, I will make sure you will never see the light of day ever again!"

The boys laughed derisively at her and inched closer. Kotori was ready to hit anyone who dared to touch her, but her chance never came when one of the boys behind the group fell to the ground with a loud thud. Kotori stared at him with wide eyes and everyone turned to see what happened.

Botan and Fujima stood before them irately. Fujima had his arms crossed in front of him, glaring at the boys and Botan was cracking his knuckles rather loudly.

"I wonder who's next." Botan said wrathfully.

This time it was those boys who were slinking away. It didn't take long for Fujima and Botan to chase them away. Kotori watched them with relief and she sank to the ground when they were gone. She was gradually becoming scared when they threatened to take her nude pictures. Even though she was shaking inside, she tried putting on a brave exterior. Now that they were gone, her feet gave way and she couldn't keep herself standing anymore.

"Hey, Kanzaki-san!" Botan ran towards her. "Are you alright?"

"Iris…" Fujima called also going up to her.

"Leg cramp…" Kotori looked up at them with an uneasy grin. "Thank you for coming to save me…"

"It was nothing," Fujima smiled gently at her.

"I am glad I was able to make it." Botan said. "I wouldn't want anyone to see your naked butt."

"Don't say it like that." Kotori flared angrily. "Like I would let them take my nude pictures!"

The two boys smiled warmly at her and held out their hands towards her.

"Can you get up?" They both said together.

Kotori stared at them with wide eyes. They turned to each other and glared at one another.

"Stop copying me!" Botan cried.

"That is supposed to be my line." Fujima said rather indignantly.

"Mya…" Kotori raised both her hands up in front of her and stood up by herself. "It's alright, I can stand by myself."

The boys sulked in front of her. Kotori almost laughed and cried at the same time at their immature behaviour. She never knew Fujima could be cute when he wanted to. Kotori almost smacked her head when she was thinking of Fujima again.

"Look, I appreciate what you are doing for me." Kotori told them. "But, I am not who you all think I am…"

"I don't understand." Botan frowned at her weird statement.

"I was meaning to talk to you about the conversation we had yesterday too." Fujima interrupted, cutting Botan off. "I am sure you know about my feelings for you, Iris…"

Kotori smiled miserably when she heard Fujima calling her Iris again. If only he was saying her name. But some things were just not meant to be, just like she had told him.

"You know," Kotori told them while keeping that small depressed smile on her face. "It is almost end of the month."

"What about it?" Botan asked looking even more confused.

"Iris, you are making no sense." Fujima began; he was getting worried at her behaviour.

"I am sorry I can't requite your feelings for me…" Kotori said with her head bowed low.

"Iris… all those times we spent together, please don't tell me it meant nothing to you…" Fujima started to say but Kotori cut him off.

"I can't…" She whispered softly. Her head was still bowed as she stared down the ground unable to look at him. "Gomen... Fujima… Botan…"

Without waiting for any of them to answer her, she turned and walked away. She had made up her mind. She would wait until the day when they have to switch back, the day when everything would be told. She had finally decided that this was the only, and the right way.

"Iris, wait…" Fujima called towards her but Kotori paid no attention to him and walked on quickly.

Only when Fujima knows who she really was, Sumire Kotori and not Iris Kanzaki would she know if Fujima's feelings for her were true. She had been always been herself… no matter how she tried to mimic Iris, she couldn't do it. She wondered if Fujima saw that difference. It must have been be very confusing for him, to see such changes in the girl he had thought he always hated. But, he never knew that he was actually falling for someone who was totally not Kanzaki Iris.

"Jeez… Iris you owe me big time for this one…" Kotori whispered to herself, a tear rolled down her cheek. "I may be losing the one guy I have ever fallen for when that day comes…"

TBC

* * *

Next chapter will be coming up next week... 

Please review, you encourangements are greatly appreciated.


	18. Causing Tribulations

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters of SlamDunk

Thank you very much to all who had reviewed and supporting this fic. I hope you like this chapter too...

Those in _Italic_ are thoughts.

Both Kotori and Iris will be in the same chapter... so please do read carefully.

**Chapter 18: Causing Tribulations**

Kotori felt like her heart had froze over during the past few days after she told Fujima that she couldn't requite his feelings. They still saw each other during the photo shoots at work and Fujima remained nice and gentle towards her. It actually hurt her more when he did that. If only he knew who she really was. She wondered if he would still feel the same. She sighed agitatedly after they were done with the photo shoot. However, before she could return to the changing room to get out of her modeling clothes, she noticed that the studio crew appeared busier than usual. Kotori wondered what had happened as she watched all of them running to and fro as if a hurricane was about to descend upon them. She was rather confused.

"Ano…" Kotori went up to one of the camera man.

"What can I do for you, Kanzaki-san?" The man asked without looking at her while he looked through a pile of papers in his hands.

"Why is everyone so frantic?" Kotori asked, motioning towards the crew shouting orders to one another.

"Oh, didn't you hear?" The man finally looked up and turned to her in surprise. "Your mother has returned from Italy. She is coming over to the studio now."

"EH?" Kotori's eyes widened with fright.

No one told her. And, why didn't she hear it from Iris's mother? After a thought, Kotori realized that she had no calls from Iris's parents since she was there. Her parents were sure to call at least once or twice a week when they were away on long trips.

"That's right." That man went back to his business again without hesitation. "So I guess you better get yourself looking presentable too."

Kotori was left rooted to the spot in shock. She didn't think that Iris's mother would be returning home so soon. Iris had told her that when she was off for a trip, it usually took months before she'd return. So, why had she decided to come back now? What if she could tell the difference between her and Iris?

"She is here!" Someone yelled, bringing Kotori back to reality.

_What am I suppose to do?_ Kotori wondered in panic.

But before she could retreat the changing rooms to hide or do anything else, a lady in very posh and distinguished looking clothes walked in. With her looks, she could pass off as Kotori's older. Even Kotori stared in awe at how elegantly she came in. Iris couldn't even come close to beating her. This was Iris' mother whom they were talking about?

"So how is this month magazine getting on?" She asked one of the crew. "I heard that they did a very different cover."

"Yes, Iris Kanzaki is great this month." The crew said. "She can look really innocent and cute, so we decided to put a different theme to the teen magazine."

Kotori stared rather nervously at Iris's mother at the corner when she picked up the latest edition of that month's magazine. But when Iris's mother just merely looked at the cover and passed it back to the crew without any reaction, Kotori raised an eyebrow.

_Eh…?_ She thought to herself.

Iris's mother moved her eyes towards her then, and Kotori stiffened. She watched her with wide eyes, remaining silent and standing up as straight as she could. Without a word of kindness or gentleness, Iris's mother just smiled slightly but rather callously. Still, she could looked rather charming.

"Gokurosamadeshita," (Thank you for working hard) She said and walked off.

"Huh…" Kotori uttered softly to herself. "What's with that?"

It was so different from how her parents greeted her and Haru when they returned from their trips. She blinked in confusion as the lady walked away. Couldn't she differentiate between her and Iris when even Remi could? And what was with that gokurosamadeshita? It was as if she was greeting a worker than her own daughter.

_What the hell…_ Kotori frowned at how cold Iris's mother was.

"Aren't you going to go talk to her, Iris?" Fujima asked her, breaking her thoughts.

Kotori turned to look at him rather astounded at the question. For a moment, she forgot who she was and was looking at Fujima as if that was the first time she had seen him. Fujima in turn became more concerned at Kotori's reaction.

"Iris are you alright…?"

"Oh…" Kotori's nerves snapped. "Right… yeah… sorry… please excuse me for a moment."

Kotori walked away slowly after that and feeling rather angry at someone who couldn't even recognize her own daughter. What kind of environment did Iris grew up in?

That night after she returned home, she never saw Iris's mother again. Did she even come home to the house? Kotori had dinner by herself again, just as she had done when she was in Iris place. If it was her parents after a long trip, the first thing they would do would be to have a family dinner together to catch up with news. Iris's family was just so distant from each other. When she retreated to her room, Remi was there keeping her laundry and was glad that she was around to keep her company. If it was not for Remi being around, Kotori felt like she would lose her sanity in this huge empty house. She flopped down on Iris's bed, grabbed a pillow and started complaining to Remi.

"She just gave me a look and said gokurosamadeshita!" Kotori mimicked the voice of Iris's mother, while she hugged the pillow and lay on Iris's bed. "And I was there worrying that she would recognized me like you did!"

Remi just listened to Kotori prattler on and on about Iris's mother furiously as she continued putting away all the clean clothing.

"Why couldn't she look at Iris more closely?" Kotori continued, feeling rather irritated now. "I mean Iris is her daughter, right? She gave birth to her, right? She should be more concerned or at least show a bit of reaction that at least revealed that she was glad to see her daughter after a long trip! The worst thing was she didn't even know I am not Iris and… you… you could tell the first thing you saw me!"

Remi only smiled at that.

"Tage, what is with her?" Kotori mumbled.

"Iris's mother has been like this since she was young." Remi explained patiently. "She only cared about her status, looks and fame in the modeling world. The only parental affection Iris ever got was from her father."

"Speaking of her father," Kotori sat up from the bed and became more alert. "I have never seen him before or heard Iris talk about him."

"Iris's father passed away in an accident almost nine years ago." Remi told her rather despondently. "At that time, Iris was only seven and she locked herself in her room for almost a year after that. She refused to go to school or see anyone. Many psychiatrists came to see her. She only recovered one day when she watched her mother modeling in one of the famous designer catwalk shows. After that she worked towards that path."

Kotori stared at Remi with wide eyes. So that was why Iris was always so distant and cold. She lost the one person she had cared for dearly. Her mother never even looked at her. So might she be modeling now to gain her mother's attention? Kotori would never know. She just realized that she didn't know Iris very much.

The next morning, Kotori reluctantly went to school for the first time. She never knew Iris was such a deserted child. No one really paid any attention to her. Kotori guessed the only attention she had was from the reporters and paparazzi. This was so bizarre… Kotori placed her palm on her rather warm forehead and closed her eyes.

"And all the time I thought she was just a spoilt, rich kid who was seeking fame." She whispered to herself softly. "Her life sucks… no wonder she wanted to have a normal family life."

"Whose life sucks?"

Kotori jumped slightly and whirled around to see Fujima looking at her worriedly.

"Oh… er… nothing…" Kotori smiled uneasily. She was still rather uncomfortable around him after she told him that she couldn't answer his feelings. "Well… erm… ohayo…"

"Ohayo…" Fujima smiled slightly. "You left the studio in such a hurry. I thought you may have stayed to talk to your mother or something."

Kotori's smile dropped and she looked away. "They don't have that kind of relationship." Kotori said softly as she stared sadly at an empty wall of the corridor.

"They…?" Fujima raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Iie…" Kotori smiled. "It is nothing…"

"Oh…" Fujima blinked.

"You know Fujima," Kotori turned back to him and stared at him solemnly. "Why are you treating me so nicely? I told you that…"

"I know you said that you can't answer my feelings now…" Fujima smiled at her gently. "But I am waiting for that day you said when you are able to. For now, I just want to be next to you."

Kotori widened her eyes and smiled slightly. She crossed her fingers and hoped Fujima would be the understanding type. Now it actually hurt to see him treat her so nicely.

_Iris, I really need to thank you and curse you for switching place with me…_ Kotori thought to herself.

* * *

Far away from Shoyo High, in Shohoku High 

"ACHOOO!" Iris sneezed rather loudly. "ACHOOO!"

"Are you getting a cold or something?" Kogure asked and turned to her when he heard her sneezing rather vigorously.

"I don't think so…" Iris frowned slightly and rubbed her nose gently with a finger. "I wonder…"

It was during break time when Iris ran into Kogure with a pile of books again. This time she didn't collide into him, but had offered to help to carry some. They were on their way to the staff room when a bout of sneezing attacked Iris.

None of them were aware of Chiro watching them in the corner with her arms crossed and looking as if she was about to kill someone. A few girls standing around her were also watching Iris in silence. When Kogure and Iris were out of their sight, they turned to Chiro.

"What are you going to do, Chiro-san?" one of the girls asked.

"I saw her dancing with Rukawa-sama on the roof top." Another girl said. "We saw them during the fireworks. I don't know how they got up there! We tried all the stairways but none of them led to that roof top they were on."

"She has some nerve!" Chiro fumed. "She dared to dance with Rukawa-sama…"

"How are you going to make her pay?"

"I have my ways…" Chiro frowned and flipped out her mobile from her pocket.

Oblivious to the fact that something was about to happen, Iris went on with Kotori's life rather peacefully for a few days. No one had snuck hideous stuffs into her shoe locker anymore and fewer girls were throwing things at her along the hallways. She wondered if they had finally given up. Thinking that she may have won the battle, she was in a rather good mood. She smiled when Mitsui came into view not far from her classroom.

"Hey, Mitsui-sempai…" Iris called and raised her arm to wave.

"I was looking for you." Mitsui grinned when she arrived.

"Is there something I can do for you?"

"I was hoping you could come by during practice today." Mitsui winked. "I have something I need to you to help me with."

"Eh?"

"But first I will teach you how to use this." Mitsui took out his camera.

Iris blinked and it finally dawned to her what Mitsui need her to do. Unable to refuse him, Iris took his camera and went to the gym after school. Standing quietly in a corner, Iris watched the boys practiced. There were huge groups of girls at the doors cheering for Rukawa. Blocking out the irritating cheers, Iris aimed Mitsui's camera at the players.

"Ano na…" Iris looked rather distastefully at those girls by the door before she turned her attention to Mitsui. He was taking a break from practice and standing next to her. "Why do you need these pictures?"

"It is a favour for the photography club." Mitsui smiled. "Well, I had been using their darkroom for free so I thought I would return that favour."

"I see…" Iris mumbled and glared at those girls screaming for Rukawa again. "Don't those girls take a break? I wonder how you guys practice over this ruckus."

Mitsui laughed.

"Is it very funny?" Iris asked, turning back to Mitsui again.

"It is just that at the basketball match, we have lots of people cheering too…" Mitsui told her. "So it is pretty normal to hear this ruckus as you call it."

"I see…" Iris shook her head. "I am not going to be used to this. So, do you need me to continue taking pictures?"

"Nope you are done." Mitsui took the camera from her hand. "Thank you so much."

"I don't know how it will turn out ne…" Iris shrugged. "If it doesn't turn out right, don't blame me."

"I won't…" Mitsui winked and gave her the thumbs up.

Rukawa watched them quietly as he took a sip of water from his water bottle. It was true about what Kogure had said about Mitsui being rather close with her. Even though it was none of his concern, he couldn't help but wonder when their friendship started. He only turned away when she finally left the gym. He then turned and walked out the gym too, heading towards the changing room to get a clean shirt. The changing room was empty and quiet because all the players were still practicing in the gym. He knew that Akagi will call him out soon to the courts and he swiftly pull the clean shirt out of his locker. Somehow, when he shut his locker he caught sight of Mitsui sports bag placed on the benches. Had he forgotten to keep it? Rukawa was about to ignore it when a picture sticking out of the bag caught his attention.

_Sumire?_ Rukawa wondered while seeing the vague figure in the photo.

He went over to the bag and picked it up. That was not her. Sumire would never dress in such a gown and associate with well-known people. Being rather sharp, Rukawa noticed another person in the crowd and his eyes widened.

"What the hell is this?" Rukawa knit his brow. "They…"

The door of the changing room slid opened and Rukawa turned to see Mitsui standing by the frame…

* * *

"Everything is all done," Chiro smiled rather wickedly as she shut her mobile swiftly with one hand. "Now it is only time when the news reached Sumire…" 

"What did you do Chiro-san?" The girls asked enthusiastically.

"I will make sure Sumire taste bitterness…" Chiro laughed. "You will know soon. Since I know she can't cook because she failed rather miserably during the cooking competition, she will never get past this. This time, she will be humiliated for the rest of her life. The famous Sumire's Cooking master's daughter can't cook."

* * *

Rukawa stared at Mitsui calmly even though he had been caught snooping in Mitsui personal belongings. Mitsui was somewhat surprised to see Rukawa actually involved in a matter that was not basketball that he wasn't even the least bit angry. He walked into the changing room slowly and shut the door behind him. 

"What are you doing, Rukawa?" Mitsui asked casually.

Rukawa remained silent and was about to place the photo back where he found it when Mitsui took it out of his hand. He turned back to Mitsui, his expression still impassive and uncaring.

"Somehow, I am sure you did see something strange in this photo, didn't you?" Mitsui smiled at him. "What do you think?"

"I am not thinking about anything." Rukawa finally said something. "I was just merely looking."

"I have never seen anyone looking so alike… do you think she has a secret twin sister or something?" Mitsui studied the photo now in his hand.

"I don't care." Rukawa was walking towards the door.

"Rukawa…" Mitsui called him softly.

He stopped right in front of the door and turned his head slightly to look at Mitsui. Mitsui had his back on him and didn't look while he continued his sentence.

"Don't say anything to Kotori-chan about this." Mitsui told him. "I know that you both are rather close and somehow, I don't want her to know I am keeping a photo of her like this."

Rukawa turned away from Mitsui and the frown that was always on his face deepened.

"You are the one close to her, Mitsui-sempai." Rukawa said softly.

Even though his voice was cold and deadpan, he couldn't help but feel an emotion that he couldn't apprehend rise inside him. He had never felt like this before. What was this? He didn't like Mitsui keeping her photo? But why would it even bother him.

"Anyway, this is none of my business!" Rukawa snapped and left the room.

Mitsui turned around finally after Rukawa departed. He smiled slightly. "Looks like you are more involved than I thought." He said to no one in particular.

* * *

Iris was yawning rather widely when she got ready to go home to Kotori's house. It was Haru and Kotori's off day, so Iris didn't need to go work. After helping Mitsui taking some pictures during his practice, she helped Risha in cooking class. Even though she wasn't much help, Risha still asked for her. 

"What a weird girl…" Iris mumbled softly as she walked out the school building.

Somehow, she was surprised when someone rather unexpected rushed up to her.

"Haru?" Iris blinked and wondered if her eyes were playing tricks on her.

He never came to pick her up from school during her off days. But when she saw how frantic he looked, she knew that something might have gone wrong at home.

"Iris!" Haru cried out.

When he called her by her name instead of his usual 'oneechan', it made her start a little. She looked around to see if anyone noticed that, but the students around them didn't pay any attention to them and she relaxed slightly.

"What's wrong, Haru?" Iris asked worriedly when Haru didn't calm down.

"Our restaurant!" Haru wailed. "Someone is buying over our restaurant. Otosan and okasan are not around, we can't do anything. Our partner who take cares of things when they are away had agreed because it was a good price! He will be selling off his shares! This is a disaster!"

"What?" Iris frowned at the news. "Who would be so…"

"I don't know," Haru sobbed. "However, they will reconsider if only oneechan join the cooking competition this evening!"

"NANI? What competition?"

"It is a regional competition that oneechan and I would participate yearly." Haru explained. "Last year, oneechan and I got second! This year we didn't because she wasn't around in time to register. I don't know who slid our names in the last minute. They say we would need to get into the third placing before they would retract their proposition."

"Who would do such a thing…?" Iris was seething.

She didn't need to think for long as Chiro walked out the building with a number of students following her behind at that moment. Iris glared at her. So she did this…

"It was you…" She gritted her teeth.

"Ere…" Chiro laughed mockingly. "Why are you still here? Don't you need to prepare for something?"

"You can't do it!" Haru wailed. "I want oneechan! Where is oneechan? I want her home!"

Iris was rather taken aback at Haru's behaviour. He had always been so brave and strong willed. To see him crying like this and asking for his older sister told Iris that Haru was after all, still a little boy. He might be putting on a brave front all this while when his sister was away so that he wouldn't worry her. Iris envied Kotori for having such a caring brother. She could tell how much Haru actually missed his real sister.

Everyone stared at the boy who was supposedly Kotori's brother crying calling for his oneechan. They all thought that the boy had lost it. It soon attracted even the boys from the basketball team and they came to see what the racket was all about. Akagi was rather annoyed at all the commotion but when he saw the younger boy crying so loudly and Iris looking rather lost, he couldn't bear to yell or scold them.

"Kotori-chan, what is wrong?" Mitsui asked, going out to her.

Iris turned to him with wide petrified eyes.

"Iris…" Haru whispered her name and begged her silently.

Iris remained silent and sought the crowd for help. Anyone or anything… this wasn't supposed to end like this. Her eyes fell on Rukawa who was watching her. His expression was unreadable as usual. Unlike the other students, who were watching her rather glumly.

"You promised me that you won't mess up her life!" Haru shouted at Iris. "But you have messed up our family business!"

Iris frowned. Everyone started whispering around her, wondering what Haru was talking about. Finally she turned to Mitsui.

"Mitsui-sempai…" Iris said. "Do you have a mobile? Or anyone? Can I borrow your mobile?"

Kogure was the one who managed to lend Iris a mobile. She took it and smiled slightly.

"Thank you." She said softly.

"What the hell are you trying to do?" Chiro shouted at her angrily. "Aren't you even scared? You are going to lose your father's company."

"URUSAI BUSSU!" Iris flared at her. (Shut up, ugly!)

That really shut her up. Chiro clenched her teeth furiously, her face turning crimson. No one had ever dared to stand up to her like this before. Some students around them started sniggering on hearing Iris calling her bussu. (Ugly)

"You will see oneechan soon…" Iris told Haru gently with a rather sad smile.

Haru's face brightened up. Iris flipped open the phone and dialed her own mobile number and hoped that she would pick up.

* * *

The mobile in Kotori's bag rang continuously. Fujima turned to it and then back to the changing rooms where Kotori had left to change her clothes. After school, they had gone to the studio for work again. This time, Botan came along even though Fujima wasn't happy about it, but Botan had insisted that he wanted to see Kotori doing her shoots. Finally, Kotori agreed on letting him come along. Fujima didn't know if she did that out of courtesy or if she really liked Botan. Fujima couldn't bear to think of it if she did. 

"Is that Kanzaki-san's phone?" Botan asked when Fujima took out the mobile from her bag.

"Yeah, I am her manager." Fujima replied nonchalantly. "It is only right for me to see who is calling when she is not around. It may be important."

"That is rude." Botan replied furiously, not liking the idea of Fujima having access to her personal belongings so easily. "I am sure that is her personal phone."

"It doesn't matter." Fujima flared slightly and answered the phone. Before he could answer or say anything, the person from the other line shouted.

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?" She screamed.

Fujima was silent for a moment and finally his nerves snapped. First, he had to put up with Botan nearly the whole evening and now with some anonymous caller screaming over the phone.

"Who the hell is this?" Fujima shouted back.

"Fujima?" The person from the other line calmed down. "Where is Ko…? I mean Iris?"

Fujima blinked. How did the person know who he was, and why did she sound so familiar? It was as if he was talking to...

_It couldn't be…_ Fujima was rather astounded and turned towards Kotori when she appeared again.

"Is that for me?" She smiled.

"Hai," Fujima nodded and passed her the phone.

_I must be mistaken_, he thought silently. _Iris is here with me…_

"Moshi moshi…" Kotori said into the phone. Her eyes widened when she realized who she was talking to. "Iri… I mean Kotori?"

Fujima thought he almost heard her calling the other person over the phone Iris. He shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts. He must be mistaken. Definitely mistaken. But what was going on? He had never been so confused in his life before and Fujima was rather troubled at the feeling.

"What do you mean?" Kotori whispered into the phone anxiously. There was a short pause while she listened to the person, then her eyes widened even further and a broad smile appeared over her face. "Haru? Is that you? How are you?"

Someone else must have taken over the phone now because she mentioned a boy's name and Fujima was sure that he was speaking with a girl earlier. Besides catching Fujima's attention, she also caught Botan's attention when he heard Kotori mentioned Haru. Was that a boy? Who was he to her? They listened more attentively than before after knowing Kotori was now talking to a boy. They watched her face drain of colour slowly while she listened to the boy talk. What was going on? Did something bad happen? They waited impatiently for her conversation to end.

"Ok, I understand." She finally said softly and rather calmly over the phone. After she hung up, she turned to Fujima slowly.

"What is going on, Iris…?" Fujima asked worriedly. "That person over the phone…?"

"I can't stay on for the second half of the shooting." Kotori told him. "I need to get to Kanagawa Convention Centre pronto."

Kotori dialed for her chauffeur, only to remember that her chauffeur was with Iris's mother that day. She had come to the studio in Fujima's car. She wasn't really ready to tell him yet, but if he came along, that would mean that the truth would have to be told.

"We will take my car, I will get my chauffeur." Fujima told her and whipped out his mobile swiftly.

Kotori turned to him and felt rather disoriented. If she waited for a cab or bus, she wouldn't make it in time. She didn't know what else to do. Her father's business was very important. She couldn't miss this competition; it would mean that they would lose their family business. What would her parents think when they returned? She was supposed to be responsible for everything. Somehow, it looked like she didn't have a choice but reveal the truth to Fujima the harsh way.

TBC

* * *

I hope this chapter was not confusing to have both characters coming in like this. I think I will be able to update again next week... So until then.

Don't forget to review...


	19. The Truth

**Disclaimer: **I don't SlamDunk or any of its characters.

Thank you very much to Jayce who had prove read this chapter for me. Also thanks to all who had encouraged and supported me. All your reviews are greatly appreciated. Sorry for the delay of this chapter. There had been a small problem with the internet connection that stopped me from updating.

Hope you enjoy this chapter too...

**Chapter 19: The Truth**

Iris was breaking out cold sweat as she waited for Kotori to arrive, with Haru standing next to her. The competition had started almost five minutes ago and they haven't begun to do anything yet. The competition would last for an hour for the contestant to come up with their best main course and dessert. Most of the contestants and their assistant had already started making their dishes. Haru looked like he was about to burst into tears again.

"Don't worry she will come." Iris told him and placed her hand on his shoulder gently. "Kotori has always been the responsible type, right?"

Haru looked up at Iris who was smiling down at him. Slowly, Haru began to cheer up and he nodded finally.

"She will come…" Iris whispered confidently. "I am sure of it."

The audiences sat quietly, watching six contestants create their master pieces. Iris caught the attention of the judges and audiences as she stood there motionlessly, not doing anything. Some audiences started whispering among themselves but Iris ignored them and prayed silently for Kotori to arrive.

"Is she even going to try making something?" Kogure asked watching Iris worriedly. "Even during the school competition, Sumire tried, even when she couldn't cook at all."

"I don't know," Mitsui frowned and was also rather anxious upon seeing what was going on. "She looks like she is waiting for someone."

Rukawa remained silent, simply watching everyone else skillfully work on their creations except Iris. Who was she waiting for?

* * *

Kotori jumped out of the car even before it came to a complete stop. She looked down at her watch and saw that she was already twenty minutes late. She didn't even pay any attention to Fujima and Botan calling her to wait. She burst into the competition room out of breath and everyone turned to look at her. She was still wearing one of the modeling clothes and with her makeup on, everyone mistook her for Kanzaki Iris.

"Why is she here?" One of the audiences whispered.

"She came to see someone here?"

Kotori scanned the crowd and saw Shohoku High students had come too and the basketball team. Chiro was staring at her with wide, surprised eyes. Then finally her eyes landed on Iris and her brother. Iris never looked so relieved before. Haru was bouncing with happiness and ran towards her.

Fujima and Botan came up in time to see a little boy running towards Kotori, whom they still thought was Iris. They stared at her with surprise when she welcomed this boy with open arms and a huge pleasant smile on her face. She was beyond happy to see him.

_Who was he to her?_ Fujima and Botan thought at the same time.

"ONEECHAN!"

Their legs nearly gave way when he called her that. The audiences whispering became an uproar then.

"Haru…" Kotori cried and almost fell back when he jumped up on her.

Kotori embraced her brother tightly, while he wrapped his arms around her neck and both his legs around her waist.

"This is Haru?" Botan whispered to Fujima. "Did I hear him call her oneechan?"

"I thought I was dreaming." Fujima whispered back and staring at Kotori's cheerful face. "I always thought Iris was the only child."

"Never do this to me again!" Haru wailed. "I never imagined that I would get a heart attack at such a young age."

"Gomen, gomen…" Kotori grinned. "Oh! Haru, did you gained weight? You've gotten heavier since the last time I carried you."

"That is rude." Haru frowned angrily. "I have grown, not gained weight. It has been like, five years since the last time you carried me!"

Kotori smiled and let her brother down back on his feet. Then she turned towards the judges who were looking at them. The other contestants continued with their task because they didn't want to waste any time and the time was still ticking away. Kotori looked over to Iris, who smiled slightly and waited for her at their preparation table. She nodded towards her and Kotori smiled back.

"Iris, what is going on?" Fujima asked and grabbed her arm.

Kotori turned back to him, slightly surprised for she had totally forgotten that he and Botan had followed her. She grinned nervously at him.

"Gomen… Fujima." Kotori told him. "This is what I had been deceiving you about…"

"Eh…" Fujima let her arm go. "What…"

"Gomen, Botan-sempai…" Kotori turned to him next.

Kotori then took Haru's hand in hers and walked down the aisle towards the contestant table where Iris was standing. The judges stood when they saw someone else coming up to the competition area.

"Excuse me lady, you have caused enough commotion here. Please take your seat." One of the judges told her. "All contestants will lose their concentration because of all this."

"I am sorry, but I am the real contestant for Sumire family." Kotori told him. "I am the person who was enrolled for this competition. I am sorry I am late."

The judges remained silent.

"Wait!" Chiro suddenly screamed and stood up. "How can you change applicant for the competition suddenly? It is against the rules."

"It is not against the rule when _I_ am Sumire Kotori," Kotori flared, not looking over at Chiro.

"Oneechan," Haru called and gave her a hair band and her glasses. "You need this?"

"Arigatou." Kotori told him and tied her hair back. She took out her contacts on the spot and put on her glasses. "Sorry for the confusion."

She bowed in front of the judges and they turned to look at Iris. She just sighed, pulled her hair out from the ponytail and took off the glasses she was wearing. She just merely shrugged.

"I am Kanzaki Iris…" She told everyone.

The audience became very quiet when the announcement was made. It didn't last as there was an outburst from Chiro.

"Even so, she is late!" She shouted.

"There is no expulsion from the competition for the contestant who is late!" Kotori exclaimed and looked up. "I know the rules of this competition. The contestant will only have the time remaining to finish her work. There isn't any rule about forbidding the applicant to participate if their late."

"That is true." The judge nodded once. "Please proceed."

"NO…" Chiro shouted. It finally dawned on her that the person who couldn't cook was someone else. "This is not supposed to be how it is!"

"Please be quiet." The judge said sternly. "We will continue with the competition. Due to the commotion, we will extend the time by ten minutes for all contestants."

Everyone quickly started working. Kotori was relieved and walked closer to her table. Iris walked out and held up her hand. Kotori grinned and slapped her hand as a sign that they are switching back. She gave Kotori the white chef uniform and she took it. (It looked almost like a white doctor's overcoat) She swung the uniform over herself and looked down the table.

_It has been a long time_; she thought and drew a line on the table top with her fingertips.

"Oneechan?"

Kotori turned to Haru and winked.

"How much time do we have?" Kotori asked.

"Only half an hour." Haru replied.

"More than enough time." Kotori smirked and picked up a spatula. She twirled it in her hand swiftly and skillfully. "It's been a month since I stepped into a kitchen. Let's get to work, Haru."

"Hai…"

* * *

Fujima was rather motionless and stunned as he watched the person he had thought was Iris transformed into someone he didn't know. Botan looked rather shocked too. They were rather speechless at what had happened. So that was what she was talking about all this time.

"I knew there was something different about her…" Botan said rather earnestly. "I never don't know how she managed to fool all of us."

Fujima was silent. He knew there was something different since that time he saw her falling flat on her face. He never thought that he would be so foolish not to pay attention to it. He watched her move, using the kitchen utensils so skillfully as if she had been using them all her life. He remembered this girl…

_How could I have forgotten?_ Fujima thought to himself. _That waitress girl I saw during one of Kanzaki's gathering._

"Are you just going to stand there?" Fujima only snapped out of his trance when the real Iris spoke to him. "Let's take a seat and give our support."

He turned to her with a slight astounded look. He hadn't even realized that she had walked up to him and was now standing next to him with her arms crossed. Like always, with the stern look on her face when she looked at him. How could he be so stupid to be fooled by all of this?

"Is this some kind of joke you are trying to pull on me?" Fujima said to her, feeling his temper rise. He actually fell for it. He liked… her? Suddenly he realized he didn't even know her name.

"I don't know what you are trying to tell me." Iris scoffed slightly. "But Kotori's feelings are true. That is all I can say to you. She had no intention to betray your feelings."

"I don't even know the real her…" Fujima said softly and rather sadly while he turned his gaze back to the girl he had spent all his time with for the month. "I don't even know if…"

"You saw the difference when you were with her." Iris told him while she turned back to Kotori too. "If you didn't see that difference, you wouldn't even get attracted to her in the first place. Because the Fujima I know will never fall for someone like me."

Fujima turned back to her with a rather astonished look on his face. What happened to Iris after all this time? Somehow, Iris now had become more matured than she used to be.

"She had always been herself," Iris smiled slightly. "But for me, when I was in her place... it taught me something totally different."

"What…?" Fujima asked rather curiously, wondering what the snobbish Iris could have learnt.

"Responsibilities…" Iris muttered softly and rather sadly. "I never felt so depended upon before…"

"Huh?" Fujima was rather confused.

"Kotori's friends… they always sought her for help and she is a dependable person." Iris told him. "Everyone… always asks for her… even though she didn't really have a good school life with that girl named Chiro discriminating against her everyday…"

"She was bullied!" Botan exclaimed angrily.

"Yeah…" Iris turned to him with surprise. He had been so quiet that Iris almost forgot that he was still there.

Fujima remained silent and looked over at Kotori.

"Kotori is her name…" He whispered to himself. "Sumire Kotori… ka…"

* * *

The Shohoku students were stunned beyond words. Never had they thought that they had been talking to the famous Kanzaki Iris all this time. She had been in their school? She had been running around and been tortured by Chiro. She had also put up with Chiro's endless harassment. Mitsui sat on his seat staring at Iris, talking to Fujima quietly. No wonder there was such a big change in Kotori that month. Her brave exterior and arrogant look was so obvious that she was completely a different person. How could he be fooled? They did look alike, but their personalities were never the same. But still, she had pulled it off until they announced their true identity.

"Psst…"

Mitsui nearly jumped when he heard something weird from Rukawa. He turned to him and his shock doubled. Rukawa was laughing quietly. The Ice Prince of Shohoku High… laughing?

"Ano… are you really Rukawa Kaede?" Mitsui asked him nervously.

It was so weird to see Rukawa, who never show any emotion, laughing out loud. Rukawa only continued laughing quietly with his hands over his mouth, trying to muffle his laughter. He only shook his head slightly and continued laughing.

"This is truly a peculiar day." Mitsui whispered softly and placed a hand over his forehead.

Rukawa never thought anyone could fool him. This girl… this particular girl…. She just never ceased to always surprise him. From their first encounter on the roof top, the day he thought that she was going to commit suicide. After that, one thing after the next just started to happen. Seeing how all these issues were too amusing, Rukawa icy exterior shattered. He started laughing…

* * *

Kotori breathed in deeply when their results were out. She was always confident of her cooking skills. After all, Haru and she were brought up learning all cooking skills from their father, the master chef in Kanagawa. Haru and Kotori got their talent from him. But when the judges announced her course had won first prize, she was too amazed to utter anything. Haru was jumping and down cheering. Shohoku students were cheering too. Iris was clapping enthusiastically for her. She ran up towards her, cheering and hugged Kotori. The Shohoku Basketball team followed along too. They stood around them giving them support.

But Chiro was beyond herself. She lost her composure and broke out yelling at Kotori.

"She is a cheat!" She shouted. "There is no way… she failed in the school competition! She did so badly, she didn't even finish within the time limit! She was so awkward that she looked like an ogre."

Everyone was looking rather astounded at Chiro, who always walked around trying to present a poised image, suddenly acting like a monster. Iris rolled her eyes.

"She just had to talk about me like that!" Iris muttered under her breath angrily. "Well, excuse me… I can't cook."

Mitsui sniggered next to her and Rukawa was back to his own indifferent state again. He merely looked at Chiro as if he knew all along that she was the sort of person who would throw that kind of temper. Kotori sighed at all the commotion she was making.

"Did you say that she was the person who did all this?" Kotori asked quietly.

"Yes. She is the ogre here, oneechan." Haru told her.

Kotori bent down and chuckled softly.

"You… you…" Chiro pointed at her. "After all this, you will pay."

Kotori suddenly felt her nerves snap. All those taunts when she was at school, how Chiro had made fun of her. How she had not able to walk normally into school without receiving her endless insults. Now, threatening her family. They almost lost their family business. She looked up, her eyes flashing with fury.

"Kotori…?" Iris looked over to her and was slightly frightened at how furious she looked.

Kotori went over to her meal and picked up an apple pie she had made. The judges had only cut a small piece out of her creation and the pie was almost still whole. She strode over to Chiro and tapped her on her shoulder. When she turned around, she smashed the pie on her face.

"That is for everything you have done to me." Kotori yelled at her. "And threatening my family like this! IT IS UNFORGIVABLE!"

"Whoa…" Iris gaped at her. "Hey! You are way cool, Kotori!"

"I learnt some courage when I was being you, Iris." Kotori turned to her and winked.

"Eh, looks like it wasn't only me that had learnt something from switching places." Iris smirked.

"Ehehe…" Kotori gave her the thumbs up.

Iris stared at Chiro who had her face messed up and grinned. She turned to Mitsui quickly.

"Did you bring your camera with you?" Iris asked.

"Oh, yeah…" Mitsui nodded and fished out the camera from his bag. "Why do you need it?"

"To blackmail Chiro for the rest of her life in school." Iris grinned mischievously. "You know how vain she is… with a photo of her like this…"

Iris laughed rather wickedly and took some pictures of Chiro, who was trying to hide her face from everyone. Kotori looked around to see the crowd in an uproar. There was one person she was trying to find. That one person, who she was desperately trying to find, was nowhere to be seen.

"He left…" Someone said behind her.

She turned around slowly to see Botan looking down at her, smiling gently. Her shoulders slumped with disappointment when she heard that. So, he couldn't take the truth that well after all. Kotori looked down the floor steadily. It was just as she had thought. She didn't want to tell him the truth like this. It would be better, if she explained it to him slowly rather than throwing the truth at his face in one second. No one could take that.

"Forget about him, Kotori…" Botan said softly and reached out to touch her chin. He lifted her face up again gradually so that she would look at him. "That is your name, isn't it…? Kotori …"

Kotori looked at him rather dolefully, how she wished that she could hear Fujima calling her that. Her name…. All this time it was always Iris and never Kotori. A tear slid down her face slowly and dropped off her chin.

Botan wiped her tears away gently.

"I will make you forget him." Botan said with determination. "I promise you…"

Kotori remained silent and stood motionlessly, unable to move or utter a single word. She didn't want to forget about him. She wanted to see him again…

* * *

Iris looked over at Kotori and Botan with narrowed eyes while she was surrounded by friends she had made in Shohoku High. Everyone was rather surprised and also excited that they had been communicating with the most famous teen model in Kanagawa all this time.

"That baka… he left!" Iris whispered to herself irately. "An absolute do'aho."

"Ano Kanzaki-san," Risha called her timidly. "Can I have your autograph?"

"Eh?" Iris turned to her with wide and astonished eyes.

"I always read the magazine you model for…" Risha said with her cheeks flaming crimson. "I have always been a huge fan of yours…"

"Oh…" Iris smiled politely. "Arigatou, sure…"

"I never thought that you would be the real Kanzaki Iris." Mitsui said with a smile, pulling out the photo from his bag and giving it to her. "I sort of felt something was strange when I saw this picture."

Iris signed a piece of parchment for Risha before she reached over to see the photo Mitsui gave her. She blinked and then gaped. It was the photo of her at the birthday party.

"What the hell is this?" Iris exclaimed.

"You being a waitress…" Mitsui grinned cheekily and winked. "And serving wine!"

"Gehhh…" Iris was horrified. "Damn, if reporters get hold of this, they will have a field day!"

"No one will know." Mitsui winked and fished the photo out of Iris hand. "I am just keeping it for remembrance."

"What the hell…" Iris frowned and reached for it again but Mitsui moved away. "Give that back… what kind of remembrance do you want with that! That is a horrible shot!"

Rukawa watched both of them from a far corner, his hands shoved in his pants pockets and standing rather casually away from the crowd. His face was rather indifferent, but he was actually annoyed upon realising the amount of time he had wasted just by being here. He should be practicing basketball with his team, but his teammates were all here too. Somehow his nonchalant look didn't last when Mitsui came running towards him with Iris after him. He took a step back with his eyes widened with shock.

"Don't come here!" Rukawa shouted. And in the end, he had to run from them.

TBC

* * *

Next chapter will be up very soon. Hopefully next week. We will see how Fujima and Kotori will or will not get back together. Thank you so much for reading.

Please do review.


	20. Normal Days

**Disclaimer: **I don't own SlamDunk or any of its character.

There was a delay on this chapter due to some matters I had to settle here. I was hoping I am able to finish this fic before the year 2007. I know its a bit late to wish everyone Happy New Year! But anyways, Happy New Year to everyone and all the best in the year ahead of you and may all wishes come true.

Thank you very much for many readers constant support and encourangement. I know there were some reviews requesting not to end this fic so soon... I am also very sorry that I couldn't meet up to that request because I am ending the fic in only 20 chapters. This fic had been left for almost 3 years since 2004. I am actually quite happy that it finally came to an end. I am so sorry I may disappoint some readers though. Anyways, thank you so much for following this fic even I have left it for a long time

Enjoy the last chapter of Double Standards.

**Chapter 20: Normal Days**

**Shohoku High**

My name is Sumire Kotori. My school life was never a bed of roses from the beginning. After my adventurous experience as Kanzaki Iris for a month, my school life did a turn for the better. From the most unpopular and most easily bullied student, I became the most popular girl around now. Everyone knew the story about how I managed to pull off as a super model. A clumsy girl like me could actually do it.

Iris Kanzaki, who had been this rich snobbish girl, became my best friend. It is very funny to see how everyone would react when they see us together, we look so alike. It is strange but true. We have no relation whatsoever, but somehow we could pull off as identical twins. But our characters and personalities are totally different.

After a month of being in Iris Kanzaki's shoes, I am not as clumsy anymore though I still hate high heel shoes. I no longer wear my glasses because I got used to contact lenses. The only thing that is different between me and Iris now is that I always tie my hair back into a ponytail. I never did like the long hair coming down my face. I liked my hair short actually and always thought of cutting it. Then again, I didn't dare to when I remembered that one time I did and I got lectured from my mother for the whole week. She liked my hair long. That is so troublesome…

I like my days in school now, thanks to Iris…

"Kotori-chan, I need some help with this math problem!" Sasami called. "You promised me!"

"Hai, hai…" I turned to my classmate, one of my closest friends who had always stood by me no matter how unpopular I was. Of course, there is also Yuriko. "What is it you don't understand?"

"It is this sum here…" Sasami showed me her notes.

So, I am still Sumire Kotori, the smartest girl in Shohoku High and aiming for a scholarship to Kanagawa University.

My days in Shohoku High are normal again without being harassed by Chiro. She had made a transfer to another school. I still have those pictures of Chiro with her face smashed in apple pie that Iris took. It was hilarious.

Her fan club went on as usual. Those girls went on following and idolizing the steps Rukawa took. However, I am still thinking of one person that I had met when I was in Shoyo High.

I wonder how he is doing now…

**

* * *

Shoyo High **

I am Kanzaki Iris, sixteen years old and a famous teen supermodel of Kanagawa. Oh wow… I am so full of myself. (Laughing to herself) I guess some things never change. I am still full of confidence of my looks and the way I am. After experiencing the life of Sumire Kotori, I realized and learnt one thing from her life, which is how to be a responsible person. It felt rather nice when people kept asking you for help. It felt like you could be depended on. I never had that kind of feeling before.

When Kotori was here in Shoyo High, she did some real changes in my life. Teachers are looking differently at me and said I had done a great job in my school work for the month. She somehow also managed to screw up my relationship with my girlfriends. That's something I am not very worried about though. After seeing what real friends are like in Shohoku High, I guess I am not so fussed up any more that those girls didn't want me around.

I am still seeing the friends I made in Shohoku High, I wonder if I should transfer over there… should I do it? Just kidding… I guess my tennis captain will freak if I decided to reassign to another school. After all, I got back into the tennis club as soon as I came back to Shoyo High.

Mitsui-sempai and I are still in contact. I had made him my personal photographer. He had accepted it. I gave him full access to the darkrooms for photo processing and a fully equipped camera from tripod to flashes and different kind of lenses. He was so excited when he saw all the equipments for the camera. I sometimes see him after school at the studio when he doesn't have basketball practice. We are still close friends even though we are now in different schools.

As for Kogure-sempai, I do meet him as well when I visit Kotori in Shohoku. He is so similar to an older brother looking over me. I am the only child, so I don't really know how it is to have a sibling. But with Kogure-sempai around, I could imagine me having a big brother now. He was always telling me not to overwork and stuff. He is such a kind sempai. I can't stop thanking him for saving me from drowning that time. Come to think about it now, I remember I fainted after that. I wondered if he did C.P.R to wake me up. That will be like kissing me! I should ask him. I can imagine him blushing. (Laughter) That will be so cute!

Rukawa… hmmm… I wonder what he is doing. I don't see him around at all even when I go meet Kotori and other people in Shohoku High. Is he avoiding me? But I don't see Rukawa as the type to be flustered over anything. So it must be that his head is just so full of basketball he is practicing all the time.

That reminds me, I have to work harder to the international modeling level. If Rukawa is aiming for the best, I will too…

Yosh… it's time to work hard. Ganbatte yo!

I saw Fujima walking around school like a child who lost his sweets. He must be still thinking about Kotori. That do'aho… if it hurts him so much to avoid her, he should forgive her already…

"OI!" I shouted at him when I saw him again that afternoon in school. "Stop moping around the school like a zombie!"

"Leave me alone, Kanzaki-san." Fujima told me with his voice sounding rather monotonous.

"Well, you will regret it for the rest of your life if you continue to be like this." I told him with my hands on my hips. When did I become such a nag? "I know this second year boy here is seeing Kotori every single day now. He will meet her after school. What is his name now? Right… Botan-sempai… Botan Hikari…"

I could see Fujima flinch at that name. I guess I did make an impression here. He should wake up soon before he really loses Kotori…

I am not doing a favour for Fujima… but for my best friend, Sumire Kotori.

**

* * *

Normal POV **

Botan turned to look at Kotori when she walked out the school one afternoon. He wasn't having baseball practice and so he had time to come over. He knew her schedule for her school activities and part time work in her father's restaurant very well. She was off and didn't have any extra curricular activities that day, so he knew that she will be out any time now. When he saw her, his eyes widened slightly with surprise.

"Kotori?" He looked at her with wide eyes when she walked up to him.

"Konichiwa, Hikari-kun…" Kotori smiled at him.

"Your hair?" Botan pointed at her head.

Kotori didn't have her hair in a high ponytail like usual. That was because her hair was no longer long but short, layered and reaching only to her chin.

"Oh…" Kotori touched her bangs slightly. "I decided to cut it. Though, I had a hard time trying to stop my mum from lecturing me. But how do I look?"

Botan was still staring at her with wide eyes with a slight blush on his face. She actually looked good in short hair. He was rather stunned for a moment and wasn't able to answer her.

"It's not nice?" Kotori asked him nervously.

"No… it's not that!" Botan quickly answered, waving both hands in front of him anxiously. "You look really cute!"

"Honto?" Kotori smiled happily. "That's a relief."

"So, where do you want to go today?" Botan asked after that. "You are free, aren't you?"

"I was thinking of heading to the national library today." Kotori told him. "There are some books I need for reference that I can't find in the school library. I heard that I could find them there."

"I will accompany you there!" Botan said enthusiastically. "After that we can go catch a movie or something?"

"Eh…" Kotori looked at him with wide eyes. "But…"

"Come on, it will be fun!" Botan persuaded her a little further. "I promise you that you would enjoy it! I am sure you love ice cream! We can have that too!"

"Eh…" Kotori was still rather wide eyed. "But… I…"

"Let's go, Kotori-chan!" Botan grabbed her hand and was pulling her down the street.

"Hikari-kun… wait…"

_Why! Why are rich kids always so forceful?_ Kotori thought in dismay as she let Botan pull her away from the front gate of Shohoku High.

At that time, Sasami and Yuriko walked out and watched her walking away with a boy from another school. They turned to each other quietly. That was the boy who came to see her often nowadays.

"Are they going out?" Sasami asked.

"I don't think so," Yuriko answered. "I always thought that she liked someone else. What is that guy's name…?"

"Fuji… something I think." Sasami said thinking hard.

"Right… Fujima…" Yuriko answered.

"That baka will definitely lose Kotori one day." Another person said behind them.

They jumped and turned around to see Iris had come to their school and her arms were crossed in front of her. She looked rather annoyed and irritated.

"Tage… that Fujima!" Iris gritted her teeth. "He is really, really a DO'AHO!!!!"

"Mya…" Sasami raised both hands up and looked rather nervously at the annoyed Iris. "Maybe he just needs some time… I am sure Kotori knows it too…"

"That is why she didn't go see him or do anything either." Yuriko said and placed a hand on her own head worriedly. "But if this continues, I think they both will just end up not seeing each other anymore.

"I WILL NOT FORGIVE THEM FOR DOING THIS!" Iris shouted.

Sasami and Yuriko leapt at her outburst and grabbed one other. They laughed rather uneasily at Iris who was still fuming.

* * *

"Do you think I should do something to help them?" Iris asked while walking out of the school with Mitsui. They were going to the studio together that day. "I can't bear to see Fujima looking like a zombie. And Kotori…" 

Iris stopped talking for a while and looked down the ground.

"She looks happy on the outside, but I know her…" She continued her sentence softly while staring at the ground. "If we didn't need to switch back like that, maybe she could have explained to Fujima more carefully and…"

"What is done can't be undone." Mitsui replied rather casually.

He had both his hands behind his head and was walking in a rather relaxed sort of way. Iris looked back up at him and sighed.

"I guess you are right…" Iris paused for a while and suddenly her face lit up. "I think I have an idea…"

"Iris-chan, I think its best you don't over do something." Mitsui said suddenly looking more alert and rather worried. "Your ideas may add more fuel into a fire when you are supposed to put out that fire."

"I will get Kotori's friends to help too…" Iris continued, Mitsui's warning falling to deaf ears.

Mitsui sighed.

* * *

Kotori looked at Iris' mansion and hesitated. It had already been two weeks since the last time she was here. She never came back to this place after they switched places. Now seeing this big place again gave her a cold feeling. She never did like the huge empty house. 

"Ah, you are here Kotori!"

She turned to see that Sasami and Yuriko had come too. She blinked and gaped slightly.

"Why are you two here?" Kotori asked.

"We are invited." Yuriko winked.

"Iris wanted to invite all her friends for a gathering." Sasami did a thumb up sign. "I am so happy to know we are also in the category of her friends."

"Eh…?" Kotori raised a brow. "What is going on?"

What she was told was totally different. Iris begged her that she needed her to come over to her house to tutor her desperately. She didn't want to fail in her exams like she always did. Kotori fumed slightly. That liar…

_What is she up to?_ She thought furiously.

"Come on," Sasami said cheerfully and grabbed one side of Kotori's arm.

"We are going to be late." Yuriko grabbed the other side.

"Wai… WAIT!" Kotori shouted but they ignored her and dragged her in.

Remi ushered them into Iris's room and that was when they only let her go. Iris was already inside and all dressed up in a nice evening gown. She grinned when they appeared. Kotori was beyond pissed.

"What is going on?" She shouted.

"Girls, shall we?" Iris told all of them.

"Ready as can be…" Remi smiled sweetly.

Yuriko and Sasami only grinned mischievously while they stared at her.

Kotori panic and backed away when they all approached her.

"Wha…" Kotori stammered. "What are you all… wait… no… DON'T COME NEAR ME!"

* * *

The ballroom was filled with students from Shohoku High and Shoyo High. Everyone was formally dressed because Iris insisted. Mitsui was tugging on his tie slightly because he never did like the feeling of something around his neck. The last time when he was in the tux, he didn't put on the bow tie but this time, Iris made sure he wore a tie. 

"I hate this…" Mitsui said softly.

Kogure, who was next to him simply smiled.

"Just bear with it, Mitsui." He said mildly.

"I am going to get some fresh air…" Mitsui muttered, irritated and walked away.

In the corner he could see Rukawa standing near one of the doors towards the balconies. He looked like he was dozing off. Mitsui saw that Rukawa just wore the black school uniform. He hadn't even bothered changing when Akagi told everyone to go take a break and come to this gathering that Iris had planned. She had invited everyone from the basketball team.

"That baka…" Mitsui said softly and headed off in another direction.

"Kenji, why are we here?" Hanagata asked when he saw that Shohoku had come to this gathering too. "Isn't that players from Shohoku? Is Kanzaki going to start some kind of dispute in her house?"

"I don't know…" Fujima was also rather irritated.

He remembered what Iris told him earlier that morning in school…

"_If you don't appear Fujima Kenji, I will make sure that the Shoyo Basketball team will never see another game!" _

Fujima frowned at his memory.

_That girl…_ Fujima thought silently. _How dare she threaten me like this?_

But his anger soon diminished when he saw from afar, a girl wearing a long light blue satin dress. It had a 'U' neck shape and there were slight frilly sleeves. The long dress went all the way down to the floor so and flared out at the bottom. Fujima's eyes widened. She had cut her hair. Even so, she still looked beautiful.

"Kotori…" He muttered her name unconsciously.

"Kenji?" Hanagata called when Fujima started walking into the crowd. "Where are you heading to?"

Fujima didn't answer. His eyes were only on that girl that he had been thinking about all this time. In two miserable weeks, he couldn't make himself to go to her. He had walked away that day when the truth came out. Now that he thought about it, he regretted it terribly and wasn't able to face her again. But now seeing her once more, his body reacted on its own and was heading towards her. She looked like she was talking to someone, with a pleasant smile on her face.

When he was near enough, the person she was talking to came to view. It turned out to be Botan; they looked rather close while they chatted. Fujima stopped on his tracks. That's right. Botan had stayed while he walked away from her. If only he was the one who stayed, everything will be fine with Kotori now. Iris had told him that Botan had been seeing her. What if… what if…

"So Hikari-kun, how is practice coming along?" Kotori asked.

"Well, after you left, everyone seems gloomy…" Botan replied. "How I wish you are in Shoyo High instead, Kotori-chan."

Fujima felt his heart shatter. So they were on a first name basis now? When did they get so close? Fujima turned away from them and started walking off.

At that time Kotori turned and saw him. Her eyes widened.

"Fujima…?" She muttered, staring at his departing figure.

"He hasn't been himself since you left." Botan told her.

"Eh?" Kotori turned back to him.

"You haven't been as cheerful too… Kotori-chan." Botan continued with a sad smile. "As much as I want you here with me, I can tell that the person that will truly make you happy…"

He stopped his sentence then. Then he sighed and placed a hand on top of Kotori's head.

"Don't you think you should go after him?" Botan finally said.

Kotori blinked and smiled. She stood on her toes, leaned up towards him and pecked him on his cheek gently.

"Arigatou, Hikari-kun." She told him. "It has been fun with you."

Gathering her long skirt in her hands, Kotori ran towards the direction Fujima went. She looked around the crowd anxiously. When she spotted him heading towards the exit door, she ran towards him. He was leaving!

"Fujima…" Kotori called him.

He didn't stop but instead, opened the door and disappeared through it. Kotori sped up and ran after him. She didn't stop even when she was outside Iris' house at the front porch where Fujima was walking down the driveway.

"Fujima!" She shouted again.

This time he stopped in mid-stride, but didn't turn around. Kotori was out of breath when she reached him. Still he didn't turn around to face her.

"Fujima, I…"

"How can you call him Hikari and me Fujima?"

"Eh?" Kotori blinked with surprise.

"That is so unfair!" Fujima flared and turned around. "Why…? You…"

"You want me to call you Kenji?" Kotori asked in amazement.

Suddenly everything Fujima wanted to tell her - he had wanted to shout at her for being close to another boy - flew out of his head when Kotori said his name. He stared at her and blushed slightly. Kotori was still rather flabbergasted so she remained quiet.

"You and Botan…" Fujima asked uncertainly.

"We are friends…" Kotori said quietly.

"You aren't dating?"

"I told him that I like someone else."

Fujima was silent but he couldn't help but felt slightly relieved when he heard that Botan was rejected. But she didn't exactly say that who she liked. Fujima looked at her anxiously.

Kotori smiled slightly.

"Gomen…" She said to him softly. "For deceiving you from the start… I thought you will start to hate me if I am not Iris. I am afraid to think the person I like most will start hating me."

Fujima just shook his head slightly and smiled finally.

"I like you for who you are…" Fujima said. "Not because you were Kanzaki-san. You were so different from her, I should have noticed it. However, I guess liking you so much must have sidetracked me from my sanity.

Kotori giggled slightly.

"By the way, you ran pretty quickly earlier." Fujima said rather curiously. "I never knew you got the hang of high heel shoes."

"I didn't," Kotori grinned cheekily and pulled up her long skirt to reveal her feet. "Iris and my friends managed to force me into this dress this evening but they didn't succeed in changing my shoes."

Fujima looked down and saw her wearing a pair of white sneakers. He started chuckling softly. Kotori was rather happy to hear that everything was finally cleared and an idea came up. So the next thing that Kotori did surprised Fujima slightly. She held up her right hand towards him.

"Pleased to meet you…" She said. "I am Sumire Kotori."

"Fujima Kenji," Fujima replied and took her hand in his. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Without letting go of her hand, he pulled her towards him and embraced her tightly. It surprised Kotori slightly but soon she placed her arms around him too.

"I am glad I met you, Kotori…" Fujima whispered to her.

That was the first time she heard him call her by her name. She smiled...

* * *

"Uwah, this is great!" Iris exclaimed. 

She was spying on Kotori and Fujima with a pair of binoculars over her eyes outside on one of the balconies that overlooked the driveway, Iris bent far over the rail, still spying on the couple. She was grinning and pretty proud on her own work.

"Mission accomplished." Iris smiled and lowered the binoculars.

* * *

Kogure and Mitsui were watching Iris without her knowledge. They were sniggering slightly to see her so anxious to bring Kotori and Fujima together. That she was so happy that they were back together. She acted almost like a little kid, which was so unlike the sophisticated Iris they always knew and saw in the front covers of the teen magazine. 

"She should be worried more about her own love life, don't you think?" Mitsui said to Kogure.

"I don't think she will realize it now," Kogure smiled gently. "She is more involved in her work than anything. For someone like her, she will not see anything else but her goal to succeed in her dreams."

"Like that baka?" Mitsui said pointing at a certain someone who was still snoozing at the corner of the ballroom.

Kogure turned to where Mitsui had jabbed his thumb towards Rukawa's direction. He laughed heartily.

"That guy will take another few more decades to be interested in his love life." Kogure said, still laughing.

* * *

"Yosh…" Iris cheered and raised both her arms up into the air. "It's time for fireworks!" 

She made a signal towards her house keepers in the garden waiting for her sign from the balcony. Soon after she waved her signal, fireworks were fired up into the dark sky, filling it with attractive colours.

"You like fireworks a lot."

Iris turned around to see that Rukawa had come out to the balcony she was on. She smiled and winked.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?" She said enthusiastically. "Besides, it is also a form of celebration for my successful mission!"

"What mission?" Rukawa asked shortly.

He had been jolted awake by the loud crashing sounds of the fireworks. He saw lots of Iris's guests were walking out of the ballroom to the garden to get a better look of the fireworks. When he saw Iris standing outside on one of the balconies, he went over to her instead of following the others.

"That, is a secret." Iris grinned impishly.

"Your parents let you do all this all the time, don't they?" Rukawa said, looking up the sky.

"I only have a mother now…" Iris said also looking up the sky. "She is always away."

Rukawa turned back to her. So her father…?

"My father died in an accident when I was seven." Iris told him, even he didn't ask. "We were on our way home from an amusement park that was in town that weekend. The chauffeur lost control of the car because it was raining very heavily at that time. Before our car hit into a tree, my father threw himself over me and I was hidden in a small dark corner."

Rukawa's eyes were wide when Iris told him the story. She had her eyes on the fireworks when she related her sad tale to him. That day, during the day of the storm when she was locked in that small dark storeroom, he still remembered how she shivered. No wonder she was afraid of darkness.

"Otosan died on the spot…" Iris continued. "After that, I just didn't want to talk to anyone anymore. Okasan is never home. She is a famous international model. One day I saw her work and I got so fascinated. So I worked towards this path. I am still working hard to be like her one day! Okasan is very popular even in America."

"I want to go to America one day." Rukawa told her and looked back up the sky.

Iris turned to him, slightly surprised.

"To become the best…" Rukawa told her.

"Let's see who reaches there first." Iris grinned. "Let's make a promise. We will go to America!"

Iris held up her pinky finger towards Rukawa. He turned back to her. He could look at her with such wide eyes but still remain so nonchalant. Very slowly, he raised his last finger and locked their fingers to seal the promise...

* * *

Fujima and Kotori stood side by side, with Fujima's arm across Kotori's shoulders and Kotori's over his waist. The contented couple looked up at the sky quietly as the fireworks lit up the dark sky. Their hearts were already as one and there wasn't any need for words anymore. They understood one another clearly. It was only now that their future had just begun. 

Everyone else that had gone to the garden was looking up the sky filled with fireworks, indicating a bright future for all of them…

Owari

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! & Thank you very much to Jace who had proof read this chapter for me. Her hard work and time are greatly appreciated. 


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